As the Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals (MRPL) commissioning its single-point mooring (SPM) system  at New Mangalore Port last week, the port's liquid cargo handling has been boosted. Single point mooring is an offshore facility that serves as a mooring point for tankers to discharge their cargoes. For now, MRPL is served by two berths at the port to handle crude oil and petroleum products.    

For the port, MRPL is the major customer and it contributes 50 per cent of the port’s total cargo.    

With a 30-metre-draught, the SPM facility is capable of handling very large crude carriers. It is expected to add about 18 million tonne cargo to the port annually.    

The oil company had increased its refining capacity from 11.82 million tonne per annum (mtpa) to 15 mtpa in March 2012. Keeping in mind the demand for a liquid cargo berth from other users, the port has constructed a facility at berth No 13.