Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (2 May 2024)

Demand rises in Houston; tight availability in West Coast ports; very prompt availability is tight in New York.

Published

2 years ago

May 3, 2024

Admin

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:

Demand rises in Houston
Tight availability in West Coast ports
Very prompt availability is tight in New York

North America

Bunker demand has picked up in Houston and several other ports along the US Gulf Coast this week after subdued demand in the previous week.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability have remained good in Houston. Some suppliers can deliver both grades with lead times of more than seven days. Prompt HSFO supply is tight and lead times of 8-9 days are recommended for the grade.

Prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is also available in Bolivar Roads and Beaumont. However, bunker deliveries there are subject to weather conditions and availability of anchorage space, a source says.

Demand has risen in Pascagoula this week and some suppliers can deliver LSMGO stems with a lead time of 3-4 days.

The Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) was experiencing strong wind gusts of up to 30 knots on Thursday, which is likely to disrupt bunker operations at the anchorage.

Demand has improved in GOLA this week, and several suppliers are offering stems for prompt dates.

All grades are tight for prompt delivery dates in the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Most suppliers require more than seven days of lead time to deliver VLSFO and LSMGO stems in the ports. Securing HSFO can be even more difficult, as only a few suppliers offer the grade.

Very prompt VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in the East Coast port of New York. This is mainly due to the strong demand for both fuel grades in the port.

The Port of Baltimore has announced that the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel will be reopened to a depth of 45 feet on 10 May. The deeper channel will facilitate the passage of commercial essential vessels during specified hours between 20.00–07.00 local time (00.00–11.00 GMT). But it remains unclear whether the reopening of this channel will help boost bunker demand.

Caribbean and Latin America

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal. Several suppliers are recommending lead times as early as three days, a source says. Securing HSFO is also possible, but with a longer lead time of about 5-6 days.

Prompt availability of VLSFO and LSMGO remains normal off Trinidad and in Jamaica’s Kingston.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is good for very prompt dates in the Bahamas’ Freeport.

Overall, demand has been very low in Freeport this week.

In Argentina’s Zona Comun, the availability of VLSFO and LSMGO has tightened again, despite calmer weather conditions this week. Several suppliers are only able to offer stems with lead times of 10-12 days.

Bunker fuel availability has remained tight in the Brazilian ports of Santos and Rio Grande. Some buyers are avoiding bunkering in these ports because of the longer lead times quoted by suppliers.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 3 May 2024

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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

7 hours ago

July 23, 2026

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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

Bunker Fuel

Panama bunker fuel sales drops by 10.7% on year in June 2026

Total bunker sales at Panama was 385,100 metric tonnes (mt) in June 2026, compared to sales of 431,147 mt during the similar period in 2025.

Published

7 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

Bunker fuel sales at Panama dropped by 11% in June 2026, according to the latest data from La Autoridad Maritima de Panama, also known as the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA).

Total bunker sales at Panama was 385,100 metric tonnes (mt) in June 2026, compared to sales of 431,147 mt during the similar period in 2025.

In June 2026, the Pacific side of Panama posted bunker sales of 311,400 mt; 185,483 mt of VLSFO, 94,997 mt of RMG 380, 2,722 mt for marine gas oil (MGO), and 28,198 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) were delivered.

The similar region saw total marine sales of 349,996 mt a year before in June; with VLSFO sales at 206,144 mt, RMG 380 sales at 109,432 mt, MGO sales at 3,043 mt, and 31,377 mt of LSMGO being sold.

Panama’s Atlantic side, meanwhile, recorded total bunker fuel sales of 73,700 during June 2026; the figure comprised 62,169 mt of VLSFO, 382 mt of RMG 380, 3,039 mt of MGO, and 8,110 mt of LSMGO.

It saw total sales of 81,151 mt in June a year before; with VLSFO sales of 60,932 mt, RMG 380 sales of 8,335 mt, 2,935 mt of MGO, and LSMGO sales of 8,949 mt.

Photo credit: jhernandezb05 from Pixabay
Published: 23 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel

Antwerp-Bruges biofuel bunker sales drops 36% on year in Q2 2026, LNG down 13.4%

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt recorded in the same period the year before while port data showed 76,513 mt of LNG being delivered in Q2 2026, down from 88,328 mt.

Published

7 hours ago

July 23, 2026

Admin

The Port of Antwerp-Bruges recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

Total bunker sales at the port was 2.05 million metric tonnes (mt) in Q2 2026, compared to sales of 1.99 million mt (+3%) during the similar period in 2025.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil and marine gas oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 164,987 mt (+43.6% from 114,917 mt), 537,926 mt (+12.8% from 476,746 mt), 659,182 mt (+11.6% from 590,544 mt) and 366,329 (-15.7% from 434,766 mt).

Biofuel recorded 26,833 mt in Q2 2026 with 41,939 mt (-36%) recorded in the same period the year before.

Port data showed 76,513 mt of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2026, down by 13.4% from 88,328 mt in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, there has been no deliveries of methanol at the port for the year so far.

Photo credit: Port of Antwerp-Bruges
Published: 23 July, 2026