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ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Hurricane Nicole hits Florida ports; VLSFO and LSMGO readily available in Houston; bunkers super tight in Panama.

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The following article regarding bunker fuel availability in the Americas region has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

10 November 2022

  • Hurricane Nicole hits Florida ports
  • VLSFO and LSMGO readily available in Houston
  • Bunkers super tight in Panama

North America

Several suppliers in the Houston area can deliver VLSFO and LSMGO on prompt grades. Buyers are able to secure the grades for prompt dates without any major hassle, partly as Houston has a large pool of suppliers, sources say.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is also normal for prompt dates in New York, while HSFO availability can be patchy in both New York and Houston. Only certain suppliers can accommodate prompt HSFO stems, sources say.

Prompt VLSFO is available in New Orleans, while LSMGO is slightly tight to secure for prompt dates.

All grades remain tight for prompt dates in the twin ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles on the US West Coast. A longer lead time of at least 10 days is generally recommended to ensure full coverage from all suppliers. Lead times can be even longer and unpredictable for HSFO in both ports as the grade is offered by fewer suppliers, sources say.

Port operations and bunkering is still suspended in several ports in Florida, after Hurricane Nicole made landfall on the east coast of Florida. The US Coast Guard has set port condition ZULU in the Port of Miami, Port Everglades, Jacksonville, Port Tampa Bay and many others. Port condition ZULU mandates port authorities to cease all operations.

Jacksonville Port Authority says the port is likely to reopen on Friday, but this will depend on the US Coast Guard’s approval.

Bunker availability continues to be steady for all fuel grades in Mexico’s Manzanillo. Recommended lead times for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO are about five days out, while prompt stems can be accommodated, sources say.

Caribbean and Latin America

Bunker operations in the Bahamas’ Freeport have been suspended since Wednesday due to Hurricane Nicole. Calmer weather conditions from Friday should allow suppliers to resume operations.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is getting tighter off Trinidad. Some suppliers that were offering deliveries for prompt dates throughout last week are now advising lead times of at least five days, sources say.

All grades are tight for prompt dates in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal. Several suppliers are hesitant to confirm delivery dates for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO due to tight availability. The earliest delivery date for VLSFO with a supplier in Balboa is about eight days out.

Lead times can be longer in Cristobal than in Balboa due to limited product availability among suppliers, sources say.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in Colombia’s Cartagena and Santa Marta. One supplier can supply for prompt dates in both ports, while another requires three days of lead time.

All grades are readily available in Peru’s Callao. A supplier can supply the grades for prompt dates.

VLSFO is readily available in Argentina’s Zona Comun anchorage. The earliest delivery date with a supplier is about 3-4 days ahead. Another requires 5-6 days of lead time.

By Nithin Chandran

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE

Published: 11 November, 2022

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Technology

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

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Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

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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.

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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

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.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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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.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

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.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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