Business

Argus Media: Volatility rocks Singapore gasoil bunker prices

Uncertainty regarding supply availability and demand, amongst others, is leading to price swings in gasoil cargo prices and also delivered LSMGO bunker prices in Singapore.

Published

2 years ago

September 26, 2022

Admin

Uncertainty regarding supply availability and demand, as well as the actual volume of export quotas from China, are leading to price swings in gasoil cargo prices and also delivered low-sulphur marine gasoil (LSMGO) bunker prices in Singapore.

23 September 2022

The premium of LSMGO over very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) bunkers typically averages around $40-60/t. But since the war in Ukraine it has risen to levels up to $380/t, according to Argus data.

LSMGO bunkers contain 0.1pc sulphur, or 1,000ppm, but are priced in line with gasoil cargo futures prices with a sulphur content of 10ppm because of this market’s deep liquidity and some market participants’ need for hedging.

LSMGO bunkers are mainly traded in small quantities and used to power vessels’ auxiliary engines, while gasoil cargoes are traded in much larger quantities for road transportation and industrial uses with different specifications.

This disconnect has seen LSMGO bunker prices trading in more volatile ways in recent weeks than other key grades such as VLSFO and high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) bunkers.

The volatility in LSMGO bunker prices is likely reflecting the volatility of the 10ppm sulphur gasoil market, with the Asian gasoil market rocked in recent trading sessions by conflicting reports on China’s export situation.

The market has been weighing in the bearish news of a large increase in export quotas from China, with expectations of another 15mn t in export quotas on the way after the initial release of 1.5mn t. Since the announcement, conflicting market discussions have emerged questioning the scope of the quotas and whether the large volumes of exports are even feasible, considering logistical limitations such as the large volumes of crude supplies required to sustain such large exports and the limited freight available for shipping out oil products.

Some market participants have even ventured that it is “not possible” for China to export 15mn t of products in the next three months, citing such issues. This scepticism is likely being baked into the market, with Asian 10ppm sulphur gasoil margins — or the Singapore 10ppm sulphur gasoil swap against Dubai crude values — recovering from six-month lows of $26.93/bl on 15 September, when the expectations of extra export quotas first emerged, to around $35/bl as of 22 September.

Tighter supplies

The 10ppm sulphur gasoil market has otherwise been supported by persistently weak stocks of middle distillates, while supplies of gasoil are being capped this and next month by several turnarounds at Asia-Pacific and Mideast Gulf refineries. A stronger draw of gasoil towards west of Suez, as European demand is expected to firm with more gas-to-oil switching for power generation, should also continue to support the low-sulphur diesel market.

But LSMGO supplies should not be as tight as ultra-low sulphur diesel on a fundamental basis. The Singapore market is unlikely to see supplies tighten considerably, said a gasoil bunker trader. “The bulk of our imports originate from South Korea hence chances of exports to Europe are slim, with the only competitors being Vietnam and China”.

Ex-wharf sellers of LSMGO in Singapore have so far not signalled any cargo tightness, with supplies and demand stable, although shipment delays have emerged occasionally.

By Sammy Six and Cara Wong

Photo credit and source: Argus Media
Published: 23 September, 2022

Bunker Fuel

SIBCON 2024: EnterpriseSG to launch new Singapore standard for e-BDN

EnterpriseSG, through the Singapore Standards Council, will launch a new Singapore Standard 709 Specification for Digital Bunkering Supply Chain Documentation.

Published

17 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: New Singapore standard on digital bunkering to be launched

Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG), through the Singapore Standards Council (SSC), will launch a new Singapore Standard (SS) 709 Specification for Digital Bunkering Supply Chain Documentation, according to Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Wednesday (9 October).

MPA said the new standard will ensure data consistency and interoperability between digital systems and facilitate smoother transactions through trusted and verifiable digital bunkering documents.

This comes following Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and the Ministry of Transport, announcing that from 1 April 2025, all bunker suppliers will be required to provide digital bunkering services and issue electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDNs) as a default.

The move was decided following successful pilots conducted since 1 November 2023 with bunker suppliers, including the top 10 bunker players, in Singapore.

To further enhance transparency and transaction integrity in bunkering operations, MPA will also introduce a centralised e-BDN record verification facility. This enables key stakeholders to verify the e-BDN received against the information transmitted to MPA.

EnterpriseSG has also launched the revised Singapore Standard (SS) 648 Code of Practice for Bunker Mass Flow Metering to include data integrity and transmission requirements in line with this new digital standard.

In the first eight months of 2024, MPA said Singapore saw strong growth of approximately 7% in total bunker sales over the same period last year, reaching over 36 million tonnes. Biofuels and liquefied natural gas bunker sales surpassed 700,00 metric tonnes.

To support the operationalisation of a higher mix of low-carbon alternative fuels, both EnterpriseSG and MPA are developing the Singapore standards for methanol bunkering and ammonia bunkering by 2024 and 2025 respectively.

The standards will cover custody transfer requirements, safety procedures and crew competencies, to ensure safe bunkering operations and handling of these fuels.

MPA also announced that three major shipping lines — Hafnia, K-Line, and MOL — are in early discussions to join the Singapore - Port of Los Angeles (LA)- Port of Long Beach (LB) Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC) initiative.

Each partner would be expected to spearhead a project to advance the corridor’s decarbonisation and digitalisation goals, such as the adoption of net-zero fuels, Just-in-Time route optimisation, and energy efficiency technologies such as wind-assisted ship propulsion.

The addition of the new partners will significantly strengthen the GDSC’s capacity to drive innovation in sustainable shipping practices and accelerate the adoption of zero/near-zero emission fuels and green technologies along the corridor.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 10 October, 2024

Alternative Fuels

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SFMF published Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia; also revealed new brand to reflect four key future marine fuels.

Published

17 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: SGMF releases methanol and ammonia bunkering guidelines

SGMF on Wednesday (9 October) announced the release of the Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia and Bunkering Guidelines for Methanol, as well as the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia.

During the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON), SGMF also revealed its new brand reflecting the organisation’s current activities in the four key marine fuels for the future: LNG, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen.

SGMF is a membership-based organisation leading safe maritime decarbonisation with members across the full value chain of marine fuels, including suppliers, operators, owners, equipment manufacturers, class societies, port authorities, individuals and training organisations.

While the search for the perfect alternative fuel continues, SGMF said methanol and ammonia are two of the fuels that the global merchant fleet has identified and is looking to implement, emphasising the importance of these guidelines.

Methanol – With the first vessels already running on methanol, and many more on order, methanol is ahead of the curve in terms of adoption. It has also overtaken regulation, meaning that these early adopters are having to put forward safety solutions that have not yet been documented, and bunker suppliers using existing chemical carriers are trying to second guess what conversion and equipment may be needed to make their vessels physically compatible with the ships being produced. These methanol bunkering guidelines have been published as a first draft to highlight the key safety factors that need to be considered when designing and bunkering a vessel of any type with methanol.

Ammonia – Despite ammonia (NH3) not yet being commercially available as a marine fuel, this bunkering document provides guidance to all the stakeholders currently investigating and developing the bunkering of ships with fully refrigerated (-33°C) ammonia.

A range of potential hazards are expected with bunkering ammonia and to date there is very limited experience, with only one series of bunkering trials conducted as at March 2024.

As a result, Bunkering Guidelines for Ammonia draws primarily on the current experience of LNG bunkering, the wider ammonia marine transport industry and the shoreside ammonia production and transport industry experience.

“The overall aim of these guidelines is therefore to ensure that ammonia-fuelled ships are bunkered safely, reliably, efficiently and in an environmentally responsible way, targeting the avoidance of operational or fugitive emissions of ammonia,” SGMF added.

These publications have been compiled with extensive input from the SGMF membership, as well as with collaborative support from the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) and the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping (MMMCZCS).

Note: The bunkering guidelines are available in the shop on SGMF portal and the Emergency Response Guide for Ammonia can be downloaded through its free resources section.

Photo credit: SGMF
Published: 10 October, 2024

Technology

SIBCON 2024: TFG Marine to launch ZeroNorth e-BDNs in Singapore

‘We are excited to work with providers such as ZeroNorth to roll out eBDNs to our customers, not only in Singapore but across our global operations,’ says Kenneth Dam, TFG Marine Global Head of Bunkering.

Published

17 hours ago

October 10, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: TFG Marine to launch ZeroNorth e-BDNs in Singapore

TFG Marine (TFG), the international marine fuel joint venture founded by Trafigura, Frontline and Golden Ocean, on Wednesday (9 October) said it will introduce ZeroNorth’s electronic bunker delivery notes (eBDNs) solution for its customers in Singapore by the end of the year.

Kenneth Dam, TFG Marine Global Head of Bunkering, made the announcement during the International Trade and Fuel Market Trends panel discussion at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference (SIBCON).

Dam said: “We are excited to work with providers such as ZeroNorth to roll out eBDNs to our customers, not only in Singapore but across our global operations.”

“This technology will help digitalise the bunker delivery process, reduce administrative burdens, enhance digital documentation, and contribute to a smarter, more connected bunkering sector.”

“We are committed to advocating for the adoption of eBDNs as a global standard for bunker fuel delivery.”

The fully digital solution, accessible through TFG Marine’s mobile app and integrated with SGTraDex digital infrastructure, will enable the inclusion of additional data, such as mass flow meter readings during fuel deliveries.

“This will drive substantial improvements in efficiency, accuracy, compliance, and sustainability across operations, complementing our global mass flow meter global rollout across our fleet and ensuring TFG Marine remains at the forefront of the bunkering industry,” the firm added.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 10 October, 2024