Remember this:
15/4/26 ABC News finance report, including a picture of the “armada” of diesel tankers heading for Australia:
Fig 1: Diesel Armada heading for Australia
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-04-15/wednesday-finance-with-alan-kohler/106568156
Just as NORD VIRAGE was leaving MAERSK CYPRUS arrived, unusual given earlier congestion offshore. IMO 9786217, built 2020, Tanker MR, draft 13.3 m, 49,919 dwt, appr. 50 ML.
Fig 2: The only international tanker in town 21/22 Apr 2026 in Botany Bay BTB 2
Note: ICS RELIANCE (usually in Gore Bay) is a local bunker tanker (fueling ships) with 6,000 dwt plying in Sydney Harbour
Where is US CP4? It is BP’s Cherry Point refinery near Blaine/Ferndale, North West Washington
Fig 3: BP Cherry point refinery (250 kb/d) and jetties CP3 & CP4
https://www.bp.com/content/dam/bp/country-sites/en_us/united-states/home/documents/where-we-operate/states/bp%20in%20Washington.pdf
Here you can judge for yourself what the standards were in the EIS in 2006 for the north wing extension:
https://www.nws.usace.army.mil/Portals/27/docs/regulatory/News/BP_Dock_Scoping_Report_Final_(10-25-2010).pdf
And while we are at it, let’s look at the other armada tanker which reached NSW shores (in Newcastle Stolthaven terminal
CAPE ANDIAMO, IMO 9995428, built 2024, PANAMX (LR1), max draft 13 m, 50,502 dwt (appr. 50 ML)
Fig 4: CAPE ANDIAMO 20 Apr 2026, had a draft of 11.7 m
Tank capacity is 7x18ML + 4.2 ML Biodiesel + 0.5 Biodiesel = 130.7 ML
https://www.stolt-nielsen.com/our-businesses/stolthaven-terminals/terminal-network/stolthaven-newcastle
A lot of that diesel will go straight into the Hunter Valley coal mining. Let us assume 5 litres per ton of coal. 90 Mt ROM coal pa x 5 L/t = 450 ML pa or 37.5 ML per month
Fig 5: Mayfield 7 wharf in Newcastle
CAPE ANDIAMO has left Newcastle now heading for Gladstone with a draft of 8.1 m. The min draft (ballast) would be 2+0.0275 x 174 m length = 6.8 m. So this tanker is not empty, very likely carrying 15-20 ML of diesel. So what was offloaded is just good for 1 month of coal mining.
Assuming that MAERSK CYPRUS will offload all of its 50 ML, NSW got 50+ 35 = 85 ML diesel
Compare that to the diesel sales in NSW:
Fig 6: NSW Diesel sales 2024 – Feb 2026
We can have 650 ML diesel monthly = 21 ML/day. So that part of the “armada” just dropped (50+35)/21 = 4 days of diesel consumption.
The Prime Minister is happy for every single tanker his Energy Minister can organise
Today, 22/4/26, he appeared in Botany Bay, with the very MAERSK CYPRUS (regular arrival) as a backdrop
The PM announced 4 additional Diesel cargos of 50 ML each through BP, Viva Energy and Export Finance Australia providing funds to secure these spot cargos against stiff competition in Asian markets. 2 of the ships are coming from South Korea, one from Brunei and one from Malaysia. We are of course living in abnormal times.
PRIME MINISTER: Every ship makes a difference. There are 61 ships on the water to Australia as we speak. And at Port Botany this morning, there was a ship delivering fuel to the BP terminal here this morning. There are another five ships due to arrive this week in Sydney at Port Botany. And so this is additional supply.
https://www.pm.gov.au/media/radio-interview-abc-sydney-20
Additional supply? Let’s check; 23/4: MORNING IBIS (80 ML) from South Korea; 23/4: Cl ZHAOGE (50 ML) from Panama Canal/Baumont; 24/4/ GOLDEN AXIS (small tanker) from South Korea; 24/4 STI Marvel (50 ML) from Kaohsiung; 25/4 YUAN JU WAN (AFRAMAX LR2) from Malaysia; 25/4 INSPIRATION (AFRAMAX LR2) from South Korea.
What’s the latest from Hormuz?
The ceasefire is extended
22/4/26 U.S. operations against Iran expand to Indian Ocean with tanker capture
The capture of the tanker ship Tifani in open waters between Sri Lanka and Indonesia follows a Trump administration directive to interdict sanctioned vessels believed to be aiding Iran through the purchase of its oil.
Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, displays a map showing the U.S. naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz during a news briefing at the Pentagon last week.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/21/iran-ship-seizure-blockade
Fig 7: Atlantic Sunshine in Melbourne 20 Apr 2026
Other tankers, not yet arrived or never on route to Australia
(4) BETELGEUSE 50 ML, expected in Brisbane 25/4/26
(5) NORD VENTURA 50 ML, now north of NZ, to AU MEL
(6) STI SOLACE 100 ML, Mid Indian Ocean now, from Southwold, UK – not US – to
Brisbane
(7) LARGO EMERALD 50 ML, in Chile CL MJS
WIP to be updated
