The Rotterdam bunker port recorded a 4% decrease in bunker oil volume on year in 2018 due to the increased scale and use of modern vessels in container shipping, it says while noting box vessels accounting for approximately 70% of the total Rotterdam bunker market.
A total 9.5 million metric tonnes (mt) of bunker oil was sold in 2018, slightly lower than 9.9 million mt in 2017, show port data.
The throughput of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as bunker fuel increased considerably from 1,500 mt to 9,500 mt.
“These days, LNG bunkering in Rotterdam is business as usual. As well as Titan LNG, Shell and Anthony Veder have now also registered as LNG bunker specialists in the Rotterdam port,” it says.
“The Port Authority is expecting to have ten suppliers within five years and a considerable increase in LNG bunkering.”
Moving forward, the port says its oil product refineries and storage terminals are readying themselves for the delivery and storage of very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) in preparation for IMO 2020.
Bunker sales at Rotterdam port (m3):
| Year | Fuel oil | MGO | MDO | Lubes | TOTAL (m3) |
| 2016 | 8,483,644 | 1,426,879 | 139,036 | 96,326 | 10,145,884 |
| 2017 | 8,255,467 | 1,387,913 | 147,035 | 99,677 | 9,890,091 |
| 2018 | 7,918,852 | 1,358,613 | 103,671 | 94,201 | 9,475,338 |
LNG marine fuel sales at Rotterdam port:
| Year | LNG (in metric tonnes) |
| 2016 | 100 |
| 2017 | 1,500 |
| 2018 | 9,500 |
Related: Rotterdam: Q3 bunker sales down 7.9% to 2.3 million m3 on year
Related: Rotterdam: Q2 bunker sales fall to historical low since 2013
Photo credit: Shell
Published: 22 February, 2019
