Majuro, Republic of the Marshall Islands.
Last year the Marshalls Energy Company, Inc. (MEC) purchased a BKI Class, 172-foot ship, named MERAM, to expand their distribution of petroleum products from Majuro to Ebeye and neighboring islands.
MERAM was built in Indonesia in 2020 and remodified recently to meet MEC’s operational requirements. MERAM has left Indonesia on its inaugural voyage to the Marshall Islands and is estimated to arrive the country in the second week of September 2022. The vessel’s first port of call will be Ebeye island. MERAM is carrying two new prefab fuel storage tanks for KAJUR, as seen in the photo below. The tanks will need to be offloaded first on Ebeye before the ship can sail to Majuro.
“We are grateful to have received grant assistance from the European Union, through the RMI’s National Energy Office, for these new fuel tanks”, said Jack Chong-Gum, CEO of MEC and KAJUR. “These prefab fuel tanks, each having a storage capacity of 75,000 gallons, will not only increase KAJUR’s fuel storage capacity but also significantly enhance the island’s fuel supply security,” he added.
MEC currently provides diesel, liquid petroleum gas (LPG), and lubricants to the power plants it manages, as well as to fisheries vessels, and domestic and commercial marine and land transportation. With the new vessel, MEC intends to supply diesel, gasoline, and other products to neighboring islands at affordable prices. “Our vision is to help reduce the exorbitant cost of fuel currently found in the neighboring islands by offering reasonably priced diesel and gasoline,” stated the CEO.
The reduced fuel prices will not only benefit residents but will improve the economic performance and viability of local businesses, including the local fishing industry. “Fishermen were hit particularly hard by the pandemic and the global rise in diesel prices. Providing reliable and affordable fuel will help to alleviate some of the pressure on this essential industry,” said Mr. Chong-Gum. He continued, “In fact, MEC’s gasoline in drums business has received numerous praises from people and businesses in the neighboring islands because of their affordable prices.”
The purchase of the fuel tanker is also part of MEC’s long-term strategy to improve the utility company’s economic viability. The acquisition of this vessel will greatly improve MEC’s commercial platform by growing MEC’s presence in the RMI and eventually in neighboring countries in the region.
Everyone at MEC and KAJUR is working diligently to welcoming the arrival of MERAM to the Marshall Islands. MEC anticipates MERAM to be operational and in service by October of this year. To accommodate such a new endeavor, MEC has established a new Shipping Division and has hired a qualified and experienced crew to operate the vessel. “With the delivery of the new fuel tanker, we are one step closer to closing the gap for access to affordable and sustainable fuel in all of the RMI,” stated the CEO.
