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ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Prompt VLSFO supply tight in Rotterdam; bunkering resumes at Las Palmas’ outer anchorage; refinery restart to boost South African VLSFO supply.
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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:

24 May, 2023

  • Prompt VLSFO supply tight in Rotterdam
  • Bunkering resumes at Las Palmas’ outer anchorage
  • Refinery restart to boost South African VLSFO supply

 

Northwest Europe

Bunker supply is said to be normal in Rotterdam, but securing prompt delivery of VLSFO can be slightly difficult as some suppliers are running low on stocks, a source says. Availability of HSFO and LSMGO has improved in the last two weeks.

Independently held gasoil stocks in the ARA averaged 5% higher in the first three weeks of May than across April.

India emerged as the ARA’s top gasoil import source this month. Gasoil imports from the country have accounted for 25% of the region’s total so far this month, according to cargo tracker Vortexa.

Other gasoil import sources for the ARA were Saudi Arabia (16%), the UAE (14%), the US and Kuwait (7%).

Bunker fuel availability is said to be tight for prompt dates in Flushing.

Supply across all fuel grades is normal in the German port of Hamburg. Lead times of around 5-6 days are recommended for VLSFO, HSFO and LSMGO there, a source says.

 

Mediterranean

Bunker fuel availability is said to be normal in Gibraltar, but fixing prompt deliveries of HSFO can be slightly difficult, a source says. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for good coverage from suppliers, the source adds. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO are 4-6 days and 3-5 days out, respectively.

Meanwhile, VLSFO supply is under pressure for prompt delivery days in Algeciras, where one supplier is fully booked, according to a source. Supply of VLSFO and LSMGO grades is normal in Ceuta.

Minimal congestion was reported in Gibraltar, Algeciras and Ceuta on Wednesday, according to port agent MH Bland. One supplier in Gibraltar and two in Algeciras were behind schedule on Wednesday.

In Las Palmas, suppliers have resumed bunker deliveries at the port’s outer anchorage after being hampered by bad weather in the last few days, MH Bland says. The weather “seems suitable this week to take bunkers at outer anchorage,” the port agent adds.

Bunker operations are also running normally in the nearby port of Tenerife.

Bunker fuel supply across all grades is said to be normal in Malta. Some suppliers can offer deliveries for prompt dates off Malta, a source says.

Fixing prompt VLSFO stems can be difficult in the Greek port of Piraeus this week, but supply of other grades is normal, another source says.

 

Africa

Supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is said to be normal in Durban and Algoa Bay. However, stems require lead times of up to seven days in both locations, a source says.

Bunkering is progressing normally in Algoa Bay, according to Rennies Ships Agency. Strong winds and high swells are forecast to hit the bay in periods between Thursday and Friday, which could delay operations.

Availability of VLSFO is expected to improve in Cape Town and Richards Bay with the restart of Astron Energy’s refinery. The company’s nameplate 100,000 b/d refinery just north of Cape Town has recently resumed operations after being offline for nearly three years, Reuters reported. The refinery was shut down in 2020 after a major fire. The refinery used to produce VLSFO and other fuels for bunker supply in Cape Town and Richards Bay, a source says.

Prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is said to be normal in Mozambique’s Nacala port. But VLSFO is tight for prompt delivery in Maputo, a source says.

By Shilpa Sharma

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 25 May, 2023

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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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July 22, 2026

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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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July 21, 2026

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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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23 hours ago

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July 21, 2026

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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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