Business

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Some ARA suppliers claim slight loading delays; Las Palmas HSFO380 supply to improve with replenishment; South Africa’s largest refinery to shut indefinitely.

Published

4 years ago

February 17, 2022

Admin

The following article regarding Europe and Africa bunker fuel availability has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

16 February, 2022

Some ARA suppliers claim slight loading delays
Las Palmas HSFO380 supply to improve with replenishment
South Africa’s largest refinery to shut indefinitely

A few suppliers are claiming that there are still slight loading delays in the ARA hub following a cyber attacks on certain oil terminals in Antwerp and surrounding ports the beginning of this month, sources say.

But it is still unclear whether the terminal systems have fully recovered from the hacking incident, they added.

Bunker fuel availability prospects in the ARA region remains mostly unchanged from last week, while demand continues to improve. Some tightness persists for VLSFO and HSFO380 grades, with lead times marginally increasing to 4-5 days for VLSFO and 5-6 days for HSFO380. LSMGO availability is comparatively better and requires lead times of 2-3 days.

ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have been heavily drawn and plunged almost 10% lower in the week to last Thursday. Meanwhile, the hub’s gasoil stock regained 1%, after tumbling to eight-year lows last month, according to Insights Global data.

Bunker demand has been said to be normal in Hamburg. Recommended lead times are around 3-5 days for VLSFO and LSMGO.

Availability of HSFO380 remains tight in the Canary Islands. An HSFO380 cargo arrived in Las Palmas on 14 February and a supplier expects to be able to deliver stems from 17 February.

Swell of 1.5 meters in the northwest direction halted bunkering at Las Palmas’ outer anchorage on Tuesday. There were no major bunkering delays or vessels waiting by Tuesday afternoon, but deliveries were limited to barge at inner anchorage and ex-pipe at berth, port agency MH Bland said.

In Gibraltar, port congestion dropped to four vessels on Wednesday morning, from nine vessels queued for bunkers on Monday, says MH Bland. Suppliers continue to operate normally, and no delays have been reported. Bunker fuel availability in the Bay of Gibraltar is adequate, and lead times are still around 3-5 days across fuel grades.

Algeciras’ A, B, and C anchorages had some congestion on Wednesday morning, while anchorage D did not, says MH Bland. A supplier was still running 6-8 hours behind schedule in the port.

Availability of HSFO380 in Malta is slightly tight and requires 4-5 days ahead. Lead times are marginally shorter for LSMGO and VLSFO, which require 3-4 days ahead.

The 180,000 b/d Sapref refinery in Durban announced a spending freeze and halt to refinery operations by March this year. The closure of the refinery will necessitate more fuel oil imports to South Africa, sources say.

South African bunker ports have depended more on bunker fuel oil and gasoil produced at the Sapref refinery since 2020, when fires forced closures of Astron Energy’s Cape Town refinery and Engen’s Durban refinery.

In April last year, Engen announced it would convert its 125,000 b/d Durban refinery into an oil storage terminal following the previous year’s fire, and because of low profit prospects.

This week, Astron Energy told local news station Fin24 it remains committed to restarting its 110,000 b/d Cape Town refinery this year, pointing to a “strong commercial base” amid other refinery closures.

Photo credit: ENGINE
Published: 17 February, 2022

Legal

Singapore withdraws remaining 127 charges against Hin Leong founder OK Lim

Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges on 17 July.

Published

7 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

Founder of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, has had the remaining 127 charges against him withdrawn, according to The Straits Times on Monday (20 July).

OK Lim was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges, including those for cheating, on 17 July. The discharge means Lim cannot be prosecuted again for the same offences.

Lim, 84, is currently serving a 13½-year prison sentence after the High Court reduced his original 17½-year jail term in March 2026. He was convicted in 2024 on two cheating charges and one count of abetting forgery in a case prosecutors described as one of Singapore’s most serious trade finance frauds.

Lim was convicted in May 2024 of two charges of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and one count of abetting forgery that proceeded to trial out of a total of 130 criminal charges.

He was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions.

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

Winding up

Singapore: Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Coastal Logistics was reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

Published

7 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

Several resolutions for Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 14 July, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

As Special Resolution

That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and accordingly the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (No. 40 of 2018);

As Ordinary Resolutions

that Mr. Wong Pheng Cheong Martin and Ms. Koay May Yee, both care of FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, One Raffles Quay, #27-10 South Tower, Singapore 048583 be appointed as the joint and several Liquidators of the Company for the purpose of such winding up; and
that the Liquidators be at liberty to open, maintain and operate any bank account(s) or account(s) for monies received by them as Liquidators with such bank(s) as they deem fit; and
that a Committee of Inspection will not be formed.

Manifold Times previously reported Nicholas James Gronow, director of Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping and Coastal Logistics, filed statutory declarations for both companies stating the firms cannot continue their businesses due to liabilities.

Both companies were reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

In 2019, several vessels owned by both firms entered the sale & purchase (S&P) market in Singapore.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Published

7 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post.

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024.

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026