Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Buyers looking more at non-prompt Singapore stems; VLSFO supply improves in Hong Kong; bad weather hampers OPL deliveries in Colombo.

Published

4 years ago

February 8, 2023

Admin

ENGINE East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

The following article regarding regional bunker fuel availability outlook for the East of Suez region has been provided by online marine fuels procurement platform ENGINE for publication on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

7 February 2023

Buyers looking more at non-prompt Singapore stems
VLSFO supply improves in Hong Kong
Bad weather hampers OPL deliveries in Colombo

Singapore

Bunker demand has been robust in Singapore following the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays. VLSFO and HSFO availability remains tight in the port, and while prompt dates can still be available, these offers are typically fewer and generally priced higher, a source says. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and HSFO are about 8-10 days, almost the same as last week’s 7-9 days.

Meanwhile, two suppliers in Singapore can supply HSFO stems with a shorter lead time of five days.

LSMGO is slightly better placed availability-wise, with prompt supply more readily available. A lead time of 5-6 days is generally recommended for smooth coverage. Sources argue that some buyers have been rushing to book bunkers for dates further out as prices for these stems have been more competitive than for prompt dates.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks averaged 1% lower in January than in December, data from Enterprise Singapore shows. The port’s fuel oil imports surged by 22% in January, while exports dipped by 11%.

East Asia

Securing VLSFO and LSMGO stems for very prompt dates (0-3 days) can be hard in Zhoushan. A lead time of about five days is generally recommended for both grades. One supplier is running low on VLSFO stocks as a replenishment cargo it expected to receive has been delayed.

A tanker carrying 34,000 bbls of low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) is scheduled to arrive in Zhoushan-Ningbo from Russia by 18 February, according to cargo tracker Vortexa.

HSFO supply remains tight in Zhoushan, with longer lead times typically recommended.

Several suppliers have cautioned that strong winds and swells are forecast in Zhoushan from Thursday and could disrupt bunkering again.

VLSFO supply in Hong Kong has improved with the arrival of a replenishment cargo, a source says. A tanker carrying 415,000 bbls of LSFO arrived in Hong Kong from Singapore on 5 February, Vortexa data shows. The cargo has helped to ease some supply pressure, a source says.

Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO have come down from 6-9 days in Hong Kong last week, to 3-4 days now. The lead time for HSFO remains steady at seven days.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight for prompt dates in South Korea’s Busan and Yeosu ports. Most suppliers have pushed their earliest delivery dates back to 17 February onwards, while only one supplier can supply on prompt dates, a source says. One Korean supplier, meanwhile, has halted its VLSFO offers as it is fully booked for the remaining days of this month, a source says. The supplier is expected to resume offers from early next month.

Strong winds gusts reaching up to 40 knots are forecast in the Vietnamese ports of Ho Chi Minh and Hai Phong, which could hamper bunkering throughout this week.

South Asia

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO remains good in India’s Mumbai port, with a shorter lead time of 2-3 days recommended.

HSFO and VLSFO availability remains normal in Mundra on India’s northwest coast and requires about six days of lead time.

HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is said to be normal in Sri Lanka’s Colombo. Recommended lead times for the grades are about six days. However, bad weather conditions have disrupted bunkering at Colombo’s outer port limits (OPL) area. Some suppliers are trying to supply stems at the OPL when the weather allows, a source says.

Similarly, bunkering has been disrupted in Trincomalee, which is located on the northeast coast of Sri Lanka. One supplier can supply VLSFO and LSMGO stems for prompt dates if the weather permits. Due to rough weather conditions, the supplier has been moving deliveries from Trincomalee’s Back Bay anchorage to Round Islands.

But deliveries at Round Islands can be only undertaken during the daytime, as vessel navigation is not permitted during night hours, the supplier added.

Middle East

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is said to be good in Fujairah. One supplier can supply them with lead times of four days, another requires six days. Securing HSFO stems for prompt dates can be hard. The earliest delivery date with one supplier is from 18 February, while another can supply from 22 February onwards.

LSMGO availability remains good across the Omani ports of Duqm, Sohar, Salalah and Muscat, with prompt dates available.

By Nithin Chandran

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 8 February, 2023

Legal

Shell Singapore charged over Pulau Bukom oil leaks, reporting delays

Shell faces four charges under Singapore’s Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act over two 2024 oil discharge incidents at its Pulau Bukom facility.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

2 MPA craft (left) supporting Shell craft in the clean up operations of the oil sheens taken on 28 Dec 9am

Shell Singapore has been charged over two incidents in 2024 involving oily mixtures discharged into Singapore waters from its facilities at Pulau Bukom, according to media reports on Tuesday (22 September).

The company faces four charges under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, including allegations that it failed to report the discharges to the port master immediately.

The first incident occurred on 20 October 2024, when approximately 40 metric tonnes (mt) of oily mixture was discharged through a hole in a pipeline at the Shell Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park at about 8am.

Shell is accused of reporting the incident to the port master at about 12.55pm, several hours after the discharge occurred.

The second incident took place between 26 and 28 December 2024. An estimated 485kg to 956kg of oil mixture was discharged into Singapore waters from the same facility.

Shell is accused of failing to report the incident immediately, with notification to the port master made at about 11.50am on 26 December 2024, according to the charges.

Singapore’s pollution-prevention regulations require occupiers of such facilities to report oil or oily-mixture discharges into Singapore waters “without delay and to the fullest extent possible”.

Shell’s representative requested an eight-week adjournment at the 22 September hearing, citing the need to obtain internal instructions, appoint counsel and locate historical records. The company said the business associated with the incidents had been divested in 2025.

The case was adjourned to October. Shell is also facing prosecution by Singapore’s National Environment Agency over the same incidents.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 25 September, 2026

Incident

MPA probes Singapore Strait collision involving fishing vessel, bulk carrier

MPA says there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel in the incident involving China-registered fishing vessel “Lu Qing Yuan Yu” and Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux” .

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) said it is investigating the incident involving the China-registered fishing vessel Lu Qing Yuan Yu and the Panama-registered bulk carrier First Margaux in the Singapore Strait on 17 September.

MPA said there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel or pollution arising from the incident and navigational traffic was not affected.

Videos circulating on social media showed the bulk carrier colliding with the fishing vessel.

“The fishing vessel took on water during the incident but remained afloat and stable, with the crew taking measures to manage the situation onboard,” MPA said.

The vessel was subsequently towed to Raffles Reserved Anchorage for assessment.

Essential crew remained onboard to support the tow, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force supported the transfer of other crew to shore.

MPA added it also issued navigational safety broadcasts to keep other vessels clear of the tow and escorted the vessel into port with a MPA craft.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Arnold Pohen
Published: 25 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Bunker barge “Kingston Trader” is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Thursday (24 September) said its bunker barge Kingston Trader is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

The company said the latest installation brings the proportion of TFG Marine’s fleet equipped with MFMs to approximately 88%, marking another step in the continued rollout of this technology across its global bunkering operations.

“The barge will operate in Jamaica through our local partnership with Scott Petroleum, becoming the first bunkering vessel in the region equipped with this technology and bringing greater accuracy, transparency and assurance to fuel measurement for customers across the Caribbean,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“Together with Scott Petroleum, we look forward to working collaboratively with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, the The Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam Limited and other stakeholders to share our experience of MFM technology, explore its wider benefits and support the continued development of bunkering standards across the region.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine continuing to expand MFM technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet with Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304 being fitted with the equipment.

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 25 September, 2026