VTTI Fujairah Terminals: A Global Refining Powerhouse at the Crossroads of the Indian Ocean and Straits of Hormuz

Staring strait ahead

Located on prime seafront land on the Indian Ocean coast of the UAE, in close proximity to the Straits of Hormuz, VTTI Fujairah Terminals is excellently placed to serve the major bunker market and develop refining on a global scale from what is the entry and exit point of the Gulf.

With its jetty flexibility and deep-water surroundings, the company can accommodate any size or type of vessel, while also being able to offer a range of services and facilities to all manner of customers.

“Although at the time under a different name, the company was very much the first of its kind in the oil and gas business to establish itself in the Emirate of Fujairah,” states Siavash Alishahpour, managing director of VTTI Fujairah Terminals. “In the years since it has grown year-on-year, trebling its storage capacity in little more than three years to 1.2 million cubic metres and developing its refining capabilities to approximately 80,000 barrels per day.”

VTTI Fujairah Terminals’ activities are very much divided into two different categories of business, terminal operations and refining. The former is engaged in the logistics of transporting, storing and loading and offloading of oil and petroleum products. On the refining side of the business, the company operates a modest sized facility, and is the only terminal company in the region to possess such an asset, which provides further added value to both VTTI Fujairah Terminals and its customers.

The building of said refinery, and more importantly its ability to keep it running continuously over the past four years in what are extremely challenging environmental conditions, is one particular aspect of the business that VTTI Fujairah Terminals is keen to draw attention to. Thanks to the time and resources the company has spent on overhauling and revamping the refinery, bringing it up-to-date with modern standards, it is now responsible for delivering real added value. This even extends to small niche projects like the company’s small, state-of-the-art LPG production unit.

“One of the core strengths of the company has certainly got to be its location, which is considered to be a haven for big, heavy ships and tankers that are able to anchor in these calm waters,” Siavash continues. “Being in what is the second largest bunkering market in the world is of course of great significance, but just being in the right place at the right time doesn’t guarantee success. Being a part of the larger VTTI Group allows the company to call upon a multitude of different skills, but just as important are the qualities that have come to define VTTI Fujairah Terminals. At the heart of this is its flexibility, its unwavering focus on satisfying its customers’ needs and its ability to do all this without ever compromising on safety or quality of service.”

At the forefront of the company’s plans today is the continued expansion of its assets and presence in what is a hugely lucrative and ever-growing oil and gas market: “The intention going forward is most certainly to continue expanding further and this is a vision shared across the business, from the top to the bottom,” Siavash enthuses. “While it is a fact that in the last three years alone the company has almost trebled its storage capacity, it has also spent considerable resources investing in new facilities and human resources bringing it to a place where today it is very settled, holding a strong position in the market serving countless different clients.

“That, however, is by no means the end of the story. At present VTTI Fujairah Terminals is closely monitoring the reclamation projects being undertaken by the local government, reclaiming land from the ocean. As a part of this, the company has been awarded a massive plot of land in a prime location. With a dedicated business development team working diligently on this development, the company envisions the next several years being defined by what happens here.”

While maintaining the excellent relationship the company has long had with Fujairah’s government and associated bodies is of crucial importance, Siavash is well aware that VTTI Fujairah Terminals’ future revolves around best capitalising on the growth of the region: “It is imperative that, going forward, the company continues to differentiate itself, selecting projects that will make up a road map that gives it a foothold on the market that other companies lack.

“Putting all of its energy into those projects that are unique and customised to the company’s facilities and Fujairah’s geographic location will be of great importance to VTTI Fujairah Terminals’ long-term prospects. As this part of the world becomes even more highly regarded and recognised, the opportunity for Fujairah to become a global hub for product import and exports, crude oil in particular, will become greater and the company looks forward to playing a commanding role in this future.”

VTTI Fujairah Terminals Ltd
Services: Bunkering, terminal operations and refining