OREANDA-NEWS. The number of tankers facing delays outside French ports continued to rise today, with six crude tankers now waiting to discharge at the Mediterranean port of Fos-Lavera.

Three Aframax and three Suezmax tankers are waiting outside the port, and the Suezmax Eurochampion 2004 will arrive today. A further two Aframax and one Suezmax are expected to arrive at Fos Lavera by 5 June.

There are also several sub-25,000t tankers facing delays at Fos Lavera and other ports across the country.

Four crude tankers were waiting to discharge at ExxonMobil's 233,000 b/d Port Jerome refinery on the north coast, consisting of two Aframax and two Suezmax. At Donges on the Atlantic coast two vessels were delayed, one Aframax and one Suezmax.

In terms of product tankers, 23 are currently at or near Fos-Lavera, with the majority looking to unload. Sixteen of these were carrying 35,000t of cargo or less.

Nine product tankers were waiting at Port Jerome, and four were waiting outside Donges.

Port agents said several vessels were exploring alternative ports outside of France to unload, but so far few had opted to do this.

Four of Total's five French refineries remain fully shut down, including the 222,000 b/d Donges, 93,000 b/d Grandpuits, 105,000 b/d Feyzin and 240,000 b/d Gonfreville. Only the 160,000 b/d La Mede plant is still functioning, although capacity there has been reduced to 80pc. La Mede resumed exporting oil products through the SPSE pipeline — which runs to Germany through Switzerland — on 30 May.

ExxonMobil's Port Jerome and 117,000 b/d Fos refineries continue to operate normally, with no impact on crude supply or production. Petroineos is carrying out planned maintenance on a crude unit at its 210,000 b/d Lavera facility, the only other refinery in France. The maintenance is due to run from early May until mid-June. Petroineos is a joint venture between Swiss-based chemical firm Ineos and Chinese state-owned PetroChina.

Total operates 2,200 of France's 11,500 fuel stations, of which 102 are currently shut, 221 are partially closed and 23 have been requisitioned by local authorities. All nine of Total's storage depots continue to operate normally.