Oil tankers dock with the floating offshore terminal system to transport crude oil.
A large crude oil tanker has unloaded oil through an offshore pipeline system near Maoming Port in southern China, as the port reported a record volume of crude oil imports in 2025.
Official data shows that Maoming Port imported 18.84 million tons of crude oil last year, an increase of 43.6% year on year, marking the highest level on record.
The oil is transferred at sea through a single-point mooring (SPM) system, located about 24 nautical miles offshore, which allows tankers to unload crude oil directly into a submarine pipeline connected to onshore storage facilities. The system is the only facility in South China capable of handling ultra-large crude oil carriers.
Often described as a "floating offshore terminal," the SPM system has been in operation since 1994 and has maintained a 31-year safety record. It can unload up to 300,000 tons of crude oil in a single operation and has handled more than 300 million tons in total.
To support stable energy supplies, customs authorities have introduced streamlined clearance measures, expediting cargo release and inspection processes to ensure the smooth flow of crude oil into the domestic market.
Reporter: Zou Xiangliang, Lu Mingshu
Photo: SINOPEC Maoming Company
Editor: Huang Qini, James Campion, Shen He
