Following the first cargo, Hengli will receive its second cargo in early July, with a Suemax cargo of Marlim crude from Brazil.

The handover of the ports to the eastern NOC is a major shift in policy from the LNA.

The geographical expansion will enable the company to more than double its bunker sales volumes, Yousuf said.

Spill may take several weeks to clean up, sources said.

"Connectivity is useful for seeing where we are and demonstrating our compliance easily," Grimaldi's Bocchetti said.

LPG is a viable marine fuel choice to meet the IMO 2020 rule.