LaycanDeskSulphur freight to Madagascar, Jordan and Senegal - open origins to Toamasina, Aqaba and Dakar
Formed sulphur for a nickel refinery and two phosphoric acid producers, each with its own berth and its own size limit, on Handysize and Supramax tonnage. Three single-buyer sulphur ports that bought from inside the Gulf: Madagascar took 88 percent of its 443,500 tonnes from the UAE and Qatar in 2025, Senegal half of its 535,400 tonnes from the UAE in 2024, and Jordan 92,200 tonnes from the UAE and Kuwait in 2024 (UN Comtrade). The Strait of Hormuz has been severely restricted since 28 February 2026. The desk works each on the receiver's berth: 50,000 dwt at Aqaba, about 30,000 tonnes at Dakar, the refinery's own pier at Toamasina.
Each of these ports has one sulphur buyer and one berth. At Toamasina the nickel and cobalt refinery burns sulphur in two acid plants of 2,750 tonnes a day each and receives it over its own pier, with two berths, four discharge hoppers and a pipe conveyor to a rail loop; Madagascar imported 345,100 tonnes in 2024 and 443,500 tonnes in 2025, of which the UAE supplied 203,000 tonnes, Qatar 185,500 and India 55,000 (UN Comtrade). The refinery was stopped by a cyclone in February 2026 and its first acid plant restarted in late May. At Aqaba the phosphate complex runs two acid units of 2,500 tonnes a day with 35,000 tonnes of sulphur storage and a yard of about 100,000 tonnes; Jordan imported 310,200 tonnes in 2024, 79,800 of it from the UAE and 12,400 from Kuwait, and the rest from Saudi Arabia (UN Comtrade), which also loads on the Red Sea at Yanbu, a short voyage from Aqaba, when the terminal confirms a lifting. At Dakar the phosphoric acid producer takes its sulphur over a mineral quay; Senegal imported 535,400 tonnes in 2024, of which the UAE supplied 266,800 (UN Comtrade).
The berth sets the ship. Aqaba's industrial terminal imports sulphur at the West Berth, designed for ships up to 50,000 dwt, 190 metres long and 32.3 metres in beam on a loaded draught of 12.5 metres, and discharges by a screw unloader rated at 1,200 tonnes an hour, so a Handymax or a small Supramax fits and the buyer's usual lot is about 35,000 tonnes. Dakar's mineral quay receives bulk carriers of about 30,000 tonnes, so it is a Handysize lane, with the berth draft confirmed per fixture. At Toamasina the refinery's pier limits are confirmed with the receiver before a ship is named, and 2025 parcels ran to about 50,000 tonnes. The open origins are Duqm, India for Madagascar, the Mediterranean and North European refineries for Dakar, and Vancouver and the US Gulf for the volume; the Saudi Red Sea ports are worked subject to confirmation of loading. Formed sulphur is IMSBC Group C, corrosive when wet; holds are cleaned and lime-washed. Charterers send the producer and load terminal, quantity and tolerance, the discharge berth and its limits, rates and laytime terms, laycan, commission and the charterer's name.
Load ports
- Duqm; Saudi Red Sea ports (Yanbu, Rabigh, Jizan), lifting confirmed per cargo
- Indian west coast refineries for Madagascar (55,000 t in 2025, UN Comtrade)
- US Gulf and Vancouver, formed sulphur
- All outside the Strait of Hormuz
Discharge ports
- Aqaba industrial terminal, West Berth: 50,000 dwt, LOA 190 m, beam 32.3 m, draught 12.5 m; screw unloader 1,200 t/h
- Dakar mineral quay: bulk carriers of about 30,000 t; berth draft confirmed per fixture
- Toamasina refinery pier: two berths, four hoppers, pipe conveyor; limits confirmed with the receiver
- One receiver at each port; the berth is named in the stem
Typical parcels
- Aqaba about 35,000 t, Handymax
- Dakar up to about 30,000 t, Handysize
- Toamasina 30,000–50,000 t
- Madagascar 443,500 t (2025), Senegal 535,400 t and Jordan 310,200 t (2024), UN Comtrade
Ships that carry it
The cargo itself, on Commbril
The cargo from the freight side
Questions charterers and owners ask
What is the largest ship for sulphur at Aqaba?
The industrial terminal imports sulphur at the West Berth, designed for ships up to 50,000 dwt, 190 metres in length and 32.3 metres in beam on a loaded draught of 12.5 metres. Discharge is by a screw unloader rated at 1,200 tonnes an hour. The buyer's usual lot is about 35,000 tonnes.
What size of ship works at Dakar?
A Handysize. The mineral quay receives bulk carriers of about 30,000 tonnes, and the berth draft is confirmed with the port per fixture. Send the berth and its draft on the laycan with the stem, because that decides the lift.
What about Toamasina?
The refinery receives sulphur over its own pier, with two berths, four discharge hoppers and a pipe conveyor to a rail loop. Madagascar's 2025 imports came in lots of up to about 50,000 tonnes (UN Comtrade), but we confirm the pier's length and draft limits with the receiver before a ship is named.
What must I send to get a named ship?
Producer and load terminal, the form of the sulphur, quantity and tolerance, the discharge berth and its limits, load and discharge rates with laytime terms, laycan, commission and the charterer's name. Handysize and Supramax owners opening in the Red Sea, the Arabian Sea, the Indian Ocean or the Atlantic send name, IMO number, dwt, draft, gear, open port and dates to desk-a005f1@in.laycandesk.com.