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:

• HSFO availability tight in Houston
• Bunker demand dips in Panama
• Bunker availability improves in Paranagua

North America

Bunker fuel demand in Houston has remained steady since last week. HSFO prompt availability at the port is tight, with lead times of around 7–8 days

At least two suppliers confirmed they are currently only offering VLSFO and LSMGO. Lead times for both these grades are between 5–6 days.

In the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), bunkering operations are underway on a first come-first basis.

However, weather is likely to get rough by the end of the week, which might create disruptions through 25 August, a source said.

Availability is okay at GOLA, where suppliers can offer HSFO and LSMGO with lead times of 3–4 days. VLSFO can be delivered in around 5–6 days.

The Atlantic hurricane season is currently underway. The National Hurricane Center has issued advisories for Hurricane Lala in the eastern Pacific.

As part of the US push to explore nuclear-powered shipping, the Port of Corpus Christi this week signed agreements with MARAD and CORE POWER to assess nuclear technology for port infrastructure and vessel propulsion.

In New York, demand has remained steady for both HSFO and LSMGO this week. The recommended lead times for HSFO and VLSFO are between 5-7 days. LSMGO has better availability and can be supplied within 2-3 days.

Weather conditions at the port are normal, with winds blowing between 5–10 knots and waves rising up to 1–2 feet.

In Los Angeles and Long Beach on the US West Coast, all three grades have normal availability, with lead times of 6–8 days.

In Vancouver, Canada, HSFO is available for delivery from 27–28 August. VLSFO and LSMGO are also available at the port, with lead times of 4–8 days depending on stem size, a trader said.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Panama, bunker demand has dropped compared to the past few weeks, a trader said.

On the supply side, Balboa and Cristobal report steady availability, with all three fuel grades of HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO requiring 5–7 days of lead time.

In Colombia, VLSFO and LSMGO are widely available across Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla, with earliest delivery dates of 3–4 days.

HSFO is not regularly available at Colombian ports, although it can be supplied periodically in ports such as Buenaventura and Cartagena.

In Brazil, the port of Santos is congested. VLSFO is available but tight, and LSMGO has normal availability, with recommended lead times of around 6–7 days.

At Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Itaqui, Belém and Vila do Conde, availability for both VLSFO and LSMGO are okay, and can be delivered in 3-4 days of lead time.

At OPL Sepetiba, both the grades are available with earliest delivery dates around 27-29 August. In Salvador, grades can be supplied within 5-8 days.

In Paranagua, availability has improved for both VLSFO and LSMGO. Suppliers have recommended lead times of under a week to seven days.

In Argentina, bunker market has seen a dip in demand this week, according to a local bunker trader.

At the Zona Comun anchorage, VLSFO and LSMGO are available via barges, with lead times of 6–7 days. Five barges are currently in operation, according to a source.

Operations remain normal, although there may be a few interruptions; however, they’re mostly short-lived, the source added.

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 21 August, 2026

Bunker fuel sales at Panama rose 10.5% year-on-year in July 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 427,985 metric tonnes (mt) in July 2026, compared to sales of 387,152 mt during the similar period in 2025.

In July 2026, the Pacific side of Panama posted bunker sales of 362,826 mt; 224,829 mt of VLSFO, 103,127 mt of RMG 380, 4,978 mt for marine gas oil (MGO), and 29,892 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) were delivered.

The similar region saw total marine sales of 316,932 mt a year before in July; with VLSFO sales at 205,610 mt, RMG 380 sales at 80,850 mt, MGO sales at 2,624 mt, and 27,848 mt of LSMGO being sold.

Panama’s Atlantic side, meanwhile, recorded total bunker fuel sales of 65,159 during July 2026; the figure comprised 52,759 mt of VLSFO, 2,869 mt of RMG 380, 2,972 mt of MGO, and 6,559 mt of LSMGO.

It saw total sales of 70,220 mt in July a year before; with VLSFO sales of 53,868 mt, RMG 380 sales of 6,042 mt, 1,659 mt of MGO, and LSMGO sales of 8,651 mt.

Photo credit: George Keel
Published: 20 August, 2026

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:

• ARA availability remains tight for prompt dates
• Supply under pressure in some Scandinavian locations
• 4-5 days of lead time in Luanda

Northwest Europe

In the ARA, fuel availability remains tight for prompt supplies, with buyers advised lead times of 5-7 days to get good coverage from suppliers, a trader said.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have averaged 5% higher in August so far, compared to July’s monthly average, according to Insights Global data.

The region has imported 381,000 b/d of fuel oil to date in August, a sharp increase from July’s monthly average of 159,000 b/d, according to Vortexa cargo flows data. Most shipment volumes have come from Venezuela (21%), Benin (20%) and Lithuania (10%).

Meanwhile, the region has imported 129,000 b/d of gasoil by mid-August, up from an average of 119,000 b/d imported in June, according to Vortexa data. The biggest import sources have been the US (26%), the UK (11%) and France (8%).

Fuel availability is stable in Germany’s Hamburg, and buyers are advised a notice of five days to get delivery of any fuel grade, a trader told ENGINE.

In Sweden’s Gothenburg and in the bunker area off Denmark’s Skaw, deliveries may require longer lead times of 10-14 days, a trader told ENGINE.

Mediterranean

Bunker supplies are tight for prompt delivery dates in Gibraltar Strait ports, with buyers recommended a lead time of around 7-10 days to get good coverage from the area’s suppliers, a trader told ENGINE.

Demand is strong in Gibraltar. Around 12 vessels queued to bunker in the port on Wednesday morning, port agent MH Bland said.

In Spain’s Barcelona, buyers can secure supplies with a lead time of at least seven days, a trader said.

Fuel supplies are tight in Las Palmas, with buyers recommended earliest delivery dates of around 10 days out, a trader told ENGINE.

VLSFO, ULSFO and LSMGO availability is stable in the bunker areas off Malta. Buyers are still recommended around seven days of notice to get supplies, a trader said.

Prompt fuel availability is tight in Greece’s Piraeus, with buyers recommended lead times of 5-7 days, a trader said.

VLSFO and ULSFO availability is stable in Türkiye’s Istanbul, while LSMGO availability is tight, a local supplier informed ENGINE.

Africa

VLSFO and LSMGO are readily available in the Senegalese port of Dakar, a supplier told ENGINE.

In Togo’s Lome, availability is tight for prompt supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO, with buyers recommended lead times of 5-7 days for both fuel grades.

Off Namibia’s Walvis Bay, VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries are possible with a lead time of 5-7 days, a trader said. The weather is an issue in the area, with swells of more than 2 metres forecast continuously between 19 and 24 August. That can complicate offshore supplies.

VLSFO deliveries at the Lagos anchorage require 5-7 days’ lead time, a local supplier told ENGINE.

A supplier in Angola’s Luanda advised a lead time of 4-5 days to get supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO.

VLSFO availability is tight off Algoa Bay for prompt supplies, with buyers advised a lead time of at least a week, a trader said.

Bunker availability is tight in Port Louis, with suppliers quoting delivery dates in September at the earliest for all fuel grades, a trader said.

By Nachiket Tekawade

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 20 August, 2026