Qingdao Port, China's biggest crude oil transfer base, will start to operate an international transfer center for marine fuel oil on Friday, China Daily reported Friday.

Qingdao Port invested 200 million yuan (about US$29.4 million) and China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co. Ltd., China's largest marine fuel provider, 170 million yuan in the project, the newspaper said.

The first-stage of the project includes construction of four 50,000 cubic meter bonded fuel oil tanks and other supporting transportation facilities, according to the newspaper.

(China Daily November 6, 2009)