The crude oil tanker Dubai Angel arrived at the Westridge Marine Terminal in Vancouver on Monday, marking the first loading of oil from the recently expanded Trans Mountain pipeline (TMX), according to ship tracking data cited by Reuters News.

The Marshall Islands-flagged vessel, chartered by Canadian oil producer Suncor Energy, is expected to take on approximately 550,000 barrels of Access Western Blend (AWB) crude oil destined for China, as per data from ship tracker Kpler.

Earlier, Trans Mountain confirmed plans to load the first vessel with oil from the expanded pipeline later this month.

TMX, which boasts an additional capacity of 590,000 barrels per day (bpd) from Alberta to Canada's Pacific coast, commenced commercial operations this month after facing years of regulatory hurdles and construction challenges.

The expansion offers Canadian producers greater access to U.S. West Coast and Asian markets. Furthermore, tightening supplies of heavy crude have made Canadian oil increasingly attractive to global buyers.

However, according to traders and shipping sources, logistical constraints at the Port of Vancouver could potentially limit the number of shipments moving forward.

Suncor revealed earlier this month that it is leasing Aframax tankers in the Pacific region and implementing direct sales to customers to maximize profits on oil transported via TMX.

Meanwhile, traders and shippers are monitoring pipeline flows and loadings from the Westridge Marine Terminal closely.