Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Availability normal across grades in Singapore; west coast ports of India brace for cyclone Biparjoy; weak demand in Fujairah.

Published

3 years ago

June 14, 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:

13 June 2023

Availability normal across grades in Singapore
West coast ports of India brace for cyclone Biparjoy
Weak demand in Fujairah

Singapore

A source says that demand has been “quiet” in Singapore so far this week. VLSFO and HSFO availability has improved in the port, with lead times coming down sharply from last week’s nearly two weeks to 7-10 days now.

LSMGO availability remains steady, with unchanged lead times of 2-4 days.

Residual fuel oil stocks have averaged 3% higher so far in June than in May, according to Enterprise Singapore. Singapore’s net fuel oil imports have declined 12% so far this month. Both fuel oil imports and exports have declined by 12-13% this month.

Singapore’s middle distillate stocks have also averaged 10% higher so far this month than in May.

East Asia

Bunker demand remains weak in Zhoushan as it has been in recent weeks, a source says. VLSFO availability has improved in the Chinese bunkering hub, with lead times of 3-5 days – down from 5-7 days last week. Recommended lead times of VLSFO and HSFO are 3-5 days – virtually unchanged from last week.

However, bunker deliveries remain suspended at Zhoushan’s Tiaozhoumen and Xiazhimen anchorages since Monday due to bad weather, a source says. Meanwhile, bunkering was running smoothly at Zhoushan’s slightly more sheltered Xiushandong anchorage and at the port’s inner anchorage of Mazhi on Tuesday.

Bunkering is likely to fully resume from Wednesday morning, when calmer weather is forecast.

VLSFO and HSFO availability has improved in Hong Kong, with lead times coming down from 7-10 days last week to around seven days now. Lead times for LSMGO, on the other hand, have increased from 3-5 days last week to seven days now.

Prompt VLSFO availability remains tight in southern South Korean ports as most suppliers are running low on stocks. A lead time of 7-9 days is recommended in southern ports. Meanwhile, availability remains good for the grade in western South Korean ports, with lead times of 3-4 days – almost unchanged from last week.

A source says that HSFO is more readily available in South Korean ports, with a shorter lead time of 3-4 days. LSMGO is also readily available in the country.

Rough weather conditions are forecast in South Korean ports of Yeosu and Busan between 16-18 June, which could disrupt bunker deliveries.

The Thai ports of Koh Sichang and Leam Chabang are forecast to experience adverse weather conditions between 18-20 June, the Kiwi port of Tauranga between 19-20 June, and the Vietnamese port of Ho Chi Minh between 19-20 June, which might hamper bunker operations.

South Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO grades can be delivered with around 2-3 days of lead time in India’s southern ports of Cochin and Chennai.

Availability of both grades remains relatively tight in the Indian ports of Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Paradip and delivery dates are subject to availability, a source says. On the other hand, supply in Tuticorin port on the southeast coast and Haldia on the east coast remains subject to enquiry.

All port operations on the Indian west coast ports including Kandla, Okha, Bedi, Navlakhi, Vadinar, Sikka, Mundra and Jakhau have been suspended as cyclone Biparjoy approaches.

Rough weather conditions are forecast in Visakhapatnam between 14-15 June, which may disrupt bunker operations.

The Sri Lankan ports of Colombo, Trincomalee and Hambantota have good availability of VLSFO and LSMGO. However, deliveries in Colombo and Hambantota are “slow because of bad weather,” while prompt dates supply is available in Trincomalee, a source says.

Middle East

A slowdown in demand has boosted the availability of all grades in Fujairah, a source says. Lead times of VLSFO and LSMGO are around three days now – down from 5-7 days last week. HSFO availability is also good, with a slightly longer lead time of around five days advised.

The Omani ports of Duqm, Sohar, Salalah and Muscat have good availability of LSMGO, with prompt supply available.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 14 June, 2023

Winding up

Singapore: Notice of intended dividend issued for Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries

Creditors will need to produce proofs of debt to liquidators of Da Xin Tankers and Nan Chiau Maritime by 5 August, according to Government Gazette notice.

Published

3 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Two notices to declare the intended dividend of Xihe Holdings’ subsidiaries to their creditors have been posted on the Government Gazette on Wednesday (22 July).

The subsidiaries are Da Xin Tankers Pte Ltd and Nan Chiau Maritime Pte Ltd.

The following are the details of the notices of intended dividend:

Name of Company : Da Xin Tankers (Pte) Ltd (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No. : 198400895W
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Name of Company : Nan Chiau Maritime (Pte.) Ltd. (In Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation)
Unique Entity No. / Registration No.: 200814296Z
Address of Registered Office : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960
Last Day for Receiving Proofs : 5 August 2026 at 5:00 pm by email to [email protected]
Name of Liquidators : Paresh Tribhovan Jotangia and Ho May Kee
Address : c/o Grant Thornton Singapore Private Limited, 8 Marina View, #40-04/05 Asia Square Tower 1, Singapore 018960

Photo credit: steve pb from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Biofuel

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

Company says it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply.

Published

3 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

South Korea: S-Oil launches B30-VLSFO bio bunker fuel supply

South Korean petroleum and refining company S-Oil on Wednesday (22 July) said it has started supplying B30 very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), as the company seeks to support shipping’s decarbonisation efforts and growing demand for lower-carbon bunker fuels.

The company said its B30 VLSFO contains 30% sustainable biofuel blended with conventional VLSFO and can be used without requiring modifications to existing vessels, enabling shipowners to comply more readily with emissions regulations from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the European Union (EU).

S-Oil said it has established an integrated operating system in the Ulsan region covering the entire value chain, from feedstock procurement and blending to supply. The system combines VLSFO produced at its Onsan refinery with biofuel production facilities and storage infrastructure in the Ulsan region, allowing the entire process to be carried out within a single logistics hub.

According to the company, the integrated supply chain reduces transportation requirements during production while improving supply efficiency and reliability.

S-Oil also highlighted Ulsan Port as a strategic location for marine biofuel supply, noting the port has strong demand for bio-bunker fuels, particularly from car carriers, enabling prompt and stable deliveries to key customers.

An S-Oil official stated: “In the bio-marine fuel market, not only product quality but also securing a stable supply of raw materials and an efficient supply system are important competitive advantages.

“Based on our existing bunkering business capabilities and the excellent supply infrastructure in the Onsan area, we plan to supply stable and competitive low-carbon fuel.”

Photo credit: S-Oil
Published: 23 July, 2026

Decarbonisation

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

Both will explore solutions spanning emissions measurement and verification, a digital Book-and-Claim framework, and a joint maritime-land inset token package.

Published

3 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Yang Ming and PSA to develop integrated sea-land decarbonisation solutions

PSA International (PSA) on Monday (20 July) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation (Yang Ming) to jointly accelerate the adoption of low-carbon solutions across the maritime value chain.

Beyond emissions measurement and verification, the collaboration will focus on a digital Book-and-Claim framework and a joint maritime-land based inset token package.

“This synergy provides cargo stakeholders with a transparent and accountable sea-land pathway to achieve their decarbonisation targets,” PSA said on its website.

Yang Ming launched the green transport service, EcoSea+. This initiative integrates Yang Ming’s low-carbon navigation capabilities to empower customers with a flexible and transparent strategy to effectively reduce their Scope 3 transportation emissions. By joining forces with PSA, Yang Ming is able to expand the impact of these sustainability actions beyond the ocean.

Building on its position as a global port operator, PSA advances its Node to Network strategy through integrated port and supply chain capabilities that enable a green network of terminal and landside operations to reduce end-to-end supply chain emissions.

The agreement was officially signed by Mr Ivan Chiang, Chief Logistics Officer & Senior Vice President of Yang Ming, and Mr Eddy Ng, Group Head of Operations, Technology and Sustainability of PSA International.

Mr Ong Kim Pong, PSA International Group CEO, said, “As responsible stewards of tomorrow, PSA is committed to delivering sustainable impact across the global port and supply chain ecosystem.

“Tackling the challenges arising from climate change will require the collective efforts of all players in the maritime supply chain sector. We are excited to partner Yang Ming on the decarbonisation of global supply chains and support the transition towards a more sustainable global economy.”

Photo credit: PSA International
Published: 23 July, 2026