Trafigura has told Reuters that is has applied to build a VLCC terminal in Texas.
The US does not currently have any inland ports capable of fully loading VLCCs, requiring ship-to-ship transfer to happen instead.
"The Texas Gulf will allow VLCCs and other tankers to load cargo safely, directly and fully via a single-point mooring buoy system (SPM). Using SPMs eliminates unnecessary ship traffic in inland ports as well as the 'double handling' of the same crude oil," the company told Reuters.
