Projo Biz Blog

PROVIDENCE -- More than a year after massive fire damaged its pier, Motiva Enterprises is reopening the south berth at its terminal. The tanker New England arrived this morning.

The tanker docked at Motiva’s new berth and will off-load 2.3-million gallons of gasoline and 1.5-million gallons of diesel to terminal storage tanks. The off-loading is expected to take about 18 hours.

A July 18, 2006, fire damaged the pier's south side where tankers normally dock to off-load to terminal storage tanks. The north side was opened to barge traffic on October 13, 2006.

Motiva said its terminal has been fully supplied by tanker barges since the fire.

The tanker New England, which sailed from Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, is about 600 feet long.

“We are very pleased to announce the arrival of the ‘New England’, the first ocean tanker to berth at our new facility since the fire last year,” Michael Sullivan, Motiva’s New England complex manager, said in a statement.

“It is especially important considering the onset of winter weather here in the Northeast," he added. "This new dock facility will ensure continuous and reliable supply of products to meet the energy needs of consumers in Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts for years to come.”

-- projo.com staff writer Michael P. McKinney

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