The shipping platform

Location: LOOP Terminal (Louisiana Offshore Oil Port) is situated 32nm W of SW Pass, the principal entrance to the Mississippi River, and 15nm off the coast. General overview: LOOP is a deepwater marine terminal for the discharge of crude oil. The terminal contains a PPC and three SPM's of the SALM type. Pipelines are laid from each SALM to the PPC, then NNW to the shore. The depth of water being in excess of 31m allows for the accommodation of tankers up to 700,000DWT. Tankers can be offloaded at a combined rate of 100,000tph. The oil is pumped ashore to a storage facility able to hold a total of 38,500,000bbls from where it is transferred to US refineries. Traffic figures: Approx 390 vessels visit the port annually. Load line zone: Summer. Max size: LOA 427m, draught 27.4m, 700,000DWT.