OREANDA-NEWS. Libya's state-run NOC has booked a crude tanker to go from the Marsa el-Hariga crude terminal to the 120,000 b/d Zawia refinery, signalling a blockade on crude movements from the east of the country could be ending.

An Aframax vessel had been booked to carry 80,000t (586,000 bl) of crude from Hariga to Zawiyah via the western terminal at Mellitah, loading 21-23 May. A larger Suezmax tanker has also fixed on the route for a later date, although further details were unavailable. The Aframax Seachance, chartered by commodity trader Glencore, docked today at Tobruq, indicating it could be loading crude from el-Hariga. The tanker had been anchored off the coast of Libya for around three weeks waiting to load, according to tracking data.

Crude exports from el-Hariga have been suspended since late April following a disagreement between the Tripoli-based NOC and a rival administration based in the east of the country. Talks to resolve the impasse took place between the NOC and the country's eastern administration earlier this week in Vienna, although it was unclear if any agreement had been reached.