The following bunker report has been provided by freight market information provider Baltic Exchange for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Note:

All values are in US$/metric ton, all-in (invoice price), delivered on board
Delivery in 7-10 days
ISO 8217:2010
IFO 380 3.5% Sulphur
IFO 380 0.5% Sulphur
DMA 0.1% Sulphur

Fujairah – Offshore Anchorage Area
Gibraltar – Anchorage area
Houston – Houston Harbor
Panama – (Pacific) dangerous cargo area, Balboa
Rotterdam – Waalhaven – Maasvlakte range
Singapore – Anchorage, under SBA Scheme
Zhoushan – Southern anchorage area

Submitted weekly at Close of Business UK time Daily

Panellists:
Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Island Oil Limited, KPI OceanConnect, Monjasa A/S, NSI Marine and Transparensea Fuels 

Photo credit and source: Baltic Exchange
Published: 14 March, 2025

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:

• Bunker fuel availability in Houston remains steady
• Fog season continues to impact US Gulf port operations
• Worker's strike in Argentina threatens cargo schedules

North America

Bunker fuel availability across all grades in Houston is steady this week, with lead times recommended at under seven days.

Fog conditions remain a concern across several US Gulf Coast ports, with visibility fluctuating due to moderate to high fog threats in key locations.

Ports such as Galveston, Port Arthur, and Lake Charles are experiencing periods of reduced visibility, particularly in the evenings and early mornings, with some areas seeing high-impact fog. Conditions are expected to improve by 17 March.

Pilot service in the Sabine-Neches Waterway was suspended due to fog last week but resumed on 9 March.

Patchy fog is expected this morning, clearing later in the day, while widespread dense fog is forecast overnight with increasing clouds and gusty south winds.

High wind gusts have caused some delays to bunkering operations in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA).

Suppliers in New York can offer VLSFO and LSMGO for prompt deliveries, with lead times of around 5-6 days. HSFO remains in tighter supply and requires longer lead times.

New York could experience possible disruptions from high wind gusts until Monday. There are no reported backlog congestion or bunker barge readiness issues at this time, a source said.

On the West Coast, fuel availability has improved across all grades in Los Angeles and Long Beach. Suppliers recommend lead times of more than seven days for VLSFO and LSMGO.

In Canada’s Montreal, high wind gusts are expected to impact operations from 15-17 March. Barge operations remain restricted to daylight hours, contributing to backlog congestion.

Caribbean and Latin America

Bunker fuel availability for prompt deliveries has been tight in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal ports, with Cristobal experiencing further constraints due to a limited number of barges.

VLSFO deliveries require lead times of approximately 9-10 days.

In Argentina, the port of Bahía Blanca, which is a major wheat export hub, is gradually resuming operations after the gale that struck on 7 March. Pilots and tugboats are now fully operational, aiding in the recovery of port activities.

Gale-force winds, typically ranging from 34-40 knots, can create rough sea conditions, making it difficult for vessels to navigate and for port activities to continue safely.

A labor strike that began late on 12 March at several grain and oilseed terminals in Argentina’s Upriver port region could disrupt cargo operations and affect bunker demand, as vessels may face extended wait times for grain shipments.

VLSFO availability remains tight at the Zona Comun anchorage, with suppliers recommending lead times of around two weeks. High wind gusts forecasted through the week could further delay bunker deliveries, a source says.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability for prompt supply in Santa Marta, Barranquilla and Cartagena is good. 

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 14 March, 2025

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:

• Prompt supply good in Hamburg
• Availability good off Malta
• Bunker supply good in Mozambique

Northwest Europe

Securing very prompt availability of HSFO and VLSFO remains a challenge in Rotterdam and the wider ARA hub. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for both grades in the port, a trader said. Prompt LSMGO availability is comparatively better, with lead times of 3-5 days advised. 

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have declined by 8% so far this month compared to February, according to Insights Global data.

The region has imported 112,000 b/d of fuel oil so far this month, down from 298,000 b/d of fuel oil in February, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa.  

The United Kingdom (51% of the total) has become the region’s biggest fuel oil import source, followed by the Bahamas (40%) and Poland (9%).

The region’s independent gasoil inventories - which include diesel and heating oil – have averaged 7% lower so far this month. The ARA hub has imported 146,000 b/d of gasoil and diesel so far this month, registering a decline from 277,000 b/d imported in February, according to Vortexa data.

In Germany’s Hamburg, bunker availability is normal, a trader said. Lead times of 3-5 days are advised for all three grades in the port. 

Mediterranean

In Gibraltar, bunker availability is tight for prompt delivery. Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for optimal coverage from suppliers, according to a trader. Rough weather conditions in the Gibraltar port area have led to a strong backlog in the last two days, according to port agent M H Bland. Bunkering in the Outer Port Limits (OPL) area is still suspended, M H Bland states.  

Bunkering disruptions may also occur in the Canary Islands’ port of Las Palmas due to adverse weather, M H Bland said. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for all three grades in Las Palmas. 

In the Spanish port of Barcelona, all grades are tight for prompt availability with lead times of 5-7 days recommended. 

Bunker availability is good in the Portuguese ports of Lisbon and Sines, a trader told ENGINE. 

Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean, Piraeus, Istanbul, and Malta Offshore have good availability across all three grades, a trader said.

In the Greek port of Piraeus, lead times of 3-5 days are advised for VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO is checked on the demand stage, a trader said. Turkey’s Istanbul port requires lead times of 3-5 days for all grades. Off Malta, similar lead times of 3-5 days are recommended, the trader added. 

Africa

VLSFO availability is tight in the South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay, a trader said. Lead times of 7-10 days are advised for the grade in both ports. LSMGO supply remains dry in Durban. Suppliers have been out of stock since January. 

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal off Luanda, a source told ENGINE. Lead times of 4-5 days are advised for optimal coverage.  

Bunker availability is good at Mozambique’s Nacala and Maputo ports, a source said. Nacala has normal availability across all three bunker grades, while LSMGO and VLSFO are well stocked in Maputo. 

Meanwhile, extreme windy weather conditions are forecast in Cape Town until Friday, according to a recent advisory issued by Danish shipping firm A.P. Moller-Maersk (Maersk). This may trigger bunkering disruptions in the port area. Similarly, disruptions may also occur in Port Elizabeth, adjacent to Algoa Bay, as the advisory states bad weather is forecast in the port area for Thursday and Friday. 

By Manjula Nair

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 13 March, 2025