Two bunkering companies, Falmouth Petroleum and Aegean Marine Petroleum, will be in direct competition in the port within a month.

Falmouth Harbour Commissioners have granted permission for Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc to provide bunker deliveries at Falmouth.

A spokesperson for Aegean Marine said: “Falmouth has the third largest natural harbour in the world and is ideally located at the western entrance to the North Sea and English Channel Emissions Control Area (ECA). The port of Falmouth move expands Aegean’s strategic presence in the UK as it currently provides bunkering operations in Portland Harbour. It also further strengthens the company’s position as a leading supplier of marine fuels throughout north west Europe.”

All grades of marine fuel oil and Marine Gas Oil will be available, meeting the latest ISO specifications.

Aegean have a choice of four state-of-the-art double hulled bunkering tankers to choose from, the Sara, Syros, Paxoi and the Naxos which is due to join their fleet soon.

Aegean said it remains committed to providing superior service to its customers that operate on a worldwide basis and adhere to the highest environmental standards.

All inquiries will be handled by a sales team in Aegean NWE’s Antwerp office and through Aegean Marine’s worldwide sales offices.

Falmouth Petroleum, a subsidiary of World Fuel Services, maintains a first class bunkering service here operating the barges Seatizen and Cap Mejean.

In an $83-million deal World Fuel Services took over Tramp Holdings, the parent company of Tramp Oil in 2004.

Tramp set up a bunkering operation here when Fuel and Marine Marketing pulled the plug on its Falmouth operation.