OREANDA-NEWS. This week's oil sector strike in Kuwait has created a backlog of tankers waiting to load outside the port of Mina al-Ahmadi.

Fourteen tankers are currently anchored off the port, according to vessel tracking data, with a further six moored at the port's facilities.

The oil and gas sector-wide strike that began on 17 April reduced Kuwait's refinery output to 520,000 b/d to 930,000 b/d. The strike ended on April 19. State-owned KPC said the 440,000 b/d Mina al-Ahmadi refinery and the 265,000 b/d Mina Abdullah refinery had returned to normal production capacity and export operations were running as scheduled. But it will take some time to clear the backlog of vessels.

The very large crude carrier (VLCC) Eneos Spirit left for Japan yesterday, while today the chemical and oil products tanker Mutriba left for China.

The six tankers moored at the port include the VLCC Dar Salwa, which berthed two days late yesterday. It is due to carry crude to Ningbo, China. The VLCC Selene Trader berthed on Wednesday, while another VLCC, the Elizabeth I.A., did so today. Both have been at anchor since Monday, 19 April. Another VLCC, the Kashimasan, also berthed today. The Aframax crude tanker Estia was due to berth on April 20 but did so today.

An LNG tanker, Al Rekayyat, also berthed yesterday. LNG loadings were unaffected by the strike.

Five crude product tankers, three crude carriers, two clean tankers, three chemical products tankers and one LPG tanker are at anchor outside the port.

This includes the VLCC Ridgebury Pride, which was fixed to load crude to the Asia Pacific region on 18 April for Saudi national shipping company Bahri. One other VLCC, the Al Salheia, is at anchor outside the port having been there since 19 April.

The Aframax crude tanker Nectar Sea has been at anchor since 14 April, despite being fixed to depart with fuel oil to south Asia on that day.