It has been another exciting year for Sterling Fuels Limited in its longstanding partnership with Port of Windsor. All of Sterling’s infrastructure projects at its Windsor site have now been completed: docks have been upgraded with new cranes, a package platform, a new warehouse and greatly enhanced distribution equipment for bulk and packaged ExxonMobil Marine lubricants. The Sterling Fuels Port of Windsor facility is now the premier “One Stop” shop on the Great Lakes for marine fuels, lubricants, and associated services.
Sterling Fuels strives to provide the highest level of customer service, having adopted IMS and ISO 9001 Quality and ISO 14001 Environmental standards to ensure the continuous improvement of its operations and the highest standards of service for customers. More importantly, each of its staff has adopted the Sterling Fuels “Culture of Excellence” which shines at Sterling’s Windsor facilities.
Completion of a new rail facility in partnership with Windsor Port Authority and Sterling’s sister company Miller Aggregates makes its Windsor site truly multi-modal with the ability to handle aggregates, asphalts, fuels, lubricants and package materials by ship, rail and truck.
Sterling Fuels also operates a Fuel Distribution Center from its Windsor site to service land-based retail, commercial and wholesale fuels and lubricant customers in the Windsor/Essex area and beyond. A team of knowledgeable marketing and technical professionals can provide solutions to any fuel, lubricant, or coolant requirements to its many marine and land-based customers. Sterling is “The Fuels and Lubricants Specialists” and provides best-in-class products, service, and technical training from its new office, warehouse, and training facilities.
Partnership is key to Sterling Fuels’ success. Its partnership with Windsor Port Authority has been long and prosperous. Over the past couple of years, Sterling has broadened its marine presence to include fueling operations in the port of Sarnia, the port of Hamilton, and most recently in the port of Halifax. In each case Sterling works closely with strong partners to enhance its operations and to elevate the customer offering at each of the ports that the company now operates in.
Sterling has partnered with Imperial Oil in Sarnia to operate the ship bunkering facilities at Imperial’s refinery dock. The coordination of activities at Sterling’s Windsor and Sarnia docks for fuel and lubricants allows maximization of efficiencies at both facilities, saving its marine customers time and money in the process.
Sterling Fuels acquired Port of Hamilton-based Provmar Inc. three years ago. Since its acquisition, Sterling has replaced an ageing fuel barge with the new Sterling Energy, a modern double hulled lightering ship complete with onboard inline fuel blending capabilities. In partnership with its parent company McAsphalt Industries and Port of Hamilton, Sterling has recently completed new fuel storage facilities to expand its capabilities for ship bunkering at the port and the surrounding area by lighter and truck.
Sterling Fuels has now extended its reach to the port of Halifax in Nova Scotia, with strong partnerships once again having facilitated its move into the East Coast market. Having demonstrated its willingness and ability to successfully manage marine bunkering operations elsewhere, Sterling was the logical candidate to take on that task in the port of Halifax when Imperial Oil closed its Dartmouth refinery.
The company needed to draw on many relationships to provide a ship bunkering solution for the port of Halifax. Algoma Dartmouth was chartered to provide lightering services. Partnerships with Imperial Oil, local terminal operators, and offshore suppliers provided the means to operate a successful and much needed marine fueling operation at the port. The company looks forward to expanding its presence to include regional land-based opportunities.
Strong partnerships have played a large part in Sterling’s success, and the company is grateful to Windsor Port Authority for the opportunities that their partnership has provided.
Note: content for the above article was provided by Sterling Fuels Limited