8 May 2020

Oil tankers queued at Marsden Pt as demand drops

From Checkpoint, 5:38 pm on 8 May 2020

A drop in the demand for oil during lockdown has created a backlog of oil tankers at Marsden Point refinery near Whangarei.

The ships are waiting to drain their massive tanks of crude oil, but as storage reaches capacity and consumption grinds to a halt, they might be waiting a while.

One of the tankers has even asked for permission to anchor for up to three months.

Producer Jeremy Parkinson spoke with harbour master Jim Lyle about the sea traffic jam, just off the Whangarei heads.