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 demand in Houston improves
• HSFO supply extremely tight in Balboa
• Minerva’s barge out of operation in Zona Comun

North America

Bunker demand in Houston has improved this week compared to early May. VLSFO and LSMGO are currently available for prompt delivery, with recommended lead times of 5-7 days for both fuel grades.

HSFO availability remains tight at the port and a minimum of 7 days is advised as lead times.

There are currently 514 vessels in the port of Houston, with 82 arrivals recorded in the last 24 hours and 122 additional vessels expected over the next 30 days.

Fuel availability across all grades in New York remains good. Suppliers continue to recommend lead times of under 7 days.

Disruptions are expected at the port due to high wind gusts forecast between 22-25 May, which may delay bunker barge operations.

Standby tugs could be required depending on conditions, a source informed.

In the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), high seas and strong wind gusts are expected through the week, which can lead to the suspension of bunkering operations.

“Deliveries are operating on a first-come, first-serve basis, but may be suspended during adverse weather, so vessels should plan bunker calls accordingly,” a trader informed.

Earlier this week, Galveston LNG Bunker Port (GLBP) secured final approval from both the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Coast Guard to build its LNG bunkering terminal in Texas City, designed to handle 300,000 gallons per day.

In New Orleans, no significant weather disruptions or congestion has been reported. Bunkering operations are expected to proceed normally without delays.

The Sabine–Neches Waterway will also mostly have sunny and calm weather through Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms are expected from Sunday night through Tuesday, which may affect bunker operations.

On the West Coast, fuel availability remains steady, and suppliers have recommended lead times of less than a week.

Executive Director of the Port of Los Angeles, Gene Seroka, recently highlighted the uncertainty the shippers face amidst changing regulations: “There have been 55 trade policy changes since January. Tariffs shot up to 145% on all imports from China, then dropped to around 30% on average after negotiations. Tariffs are still elevated, and these deadlines coming up will cause for a little bit of trepidation.”

For May, approximately 80 sailings were expected to arrive in Los Angeles, but 17 of those have already been cancelled as a result. Additionally, 10 sailings have been cancelled for June.

While trade is gradually shifting away from China toward Southeast Asia, the shift is not significant enough yet to offset the decline in Chinese imports, Seroka noted.

“In the first week of May, import volume at the Port of LA was down more than 30%. This month’s volume drop is likely to be substantial when we close the books,” he added.

Similarly, the Port of Long Beach is now anticipating a 10% decline in shipments for May, following 11 months of steady growth and a strong April.

Peter Sand, Chief Analyst at Xeneta, said, “The US-China announcement on the temporary lowering of tariffs fired the starting gun for shippers to rush as many imports as possible during the 90-day window. There is no time to waste, and this rush will put upward pressure on spot rates for Transpacific trades.”

Sands adds, “Spot rates will peak and then flatten as carriers redeploy capacity to meet demand, followed by a rate decline—similar to what we saw in Q1. This pattern is expected over the next two to four weeks.”

Meanwhile, the Port of Montreal is preparing for potential disruptions due to high wind gusts forecast between 22-23 May. The port is already experiencing backlog congestion, with barge operations restricted to daylight hours.

Caribbean and Latin America

In Panama, availability for VLSFO and LSMGO is good with recommended lead times of around 5–6 days. HSFO is extremely tight in Balboa and requires longer lead time.

This week has seen HSFO and VLSFO trade at the port at near parity, recording a rare negative Hi5 spread on 20 May.

A possible driver behind the narrowing spread could be increased competition in the VLSFO market. “Fresh resupplies of VLSFO across several suppliers have made the market more competitive,” a source said. “Meanwhile, HSFO remains very, very tight at the port, which has led to a price increase.”

In Balboa bunkering is being with priority for vessels with confirmed transit schedules through the Panama Canal, another source noted.

In Bahama’s Freeport, stable weather with no major disruptions is expected. Bunkering at the anchorage continues, with cruise ships given priority.

St. Eustatius and Trinidad are also operating under normal conditions, with no major weather disruptions, and bunker deliveries proceeding as usual.

The Paraguay basin has recovered, and water levels now remain stable, which is expected to continue through July.

However, the Brazil basin continues to face low rainfall and limited inflows, keeping the Iguazú River and Upriver area at medium-low levels with possible rapid changes.

Heavy rains in the lower riverway have sharply raised water levels, but this may be short-lived without improvements in the Brazil basin, Antares Ship Agents informed.

In Zona Comun, bunker market conditions remain steady, with limited demand and little price movement. “It appears to be quiet, no price variations and demand is reported to be slow,” a local supplier said.

VLSFO availability at the anchorage remains volatile, with suppliers recommending lead times of at least 10 days.

The barge Sara H, formerly operated by Minerva and undergoing dry dock maintenance, has now been sold after an inspection. A local supplier confirmed a replacement barge is expected by the end of the month.

Currently, three to four barges are operating in Zona Comun, sources say.

In Brazil, bunker fuel availability remains good in Santos, Rio Grande, and Rio de Janeiro, with recommended lead times of 5–7 days.

Some congestion is reported around Santos and is likely to persist over the next five days, according to source.

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 23 May, 2025

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: 23 May 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 bunker supply remains tight in the ARA
• Good prompt availability off Malta
• HSFO and VLSFO supply good in Durban

Northwest Europe

Prompt bunker availability is currently tight in Rotterdam and in the wider ARA hub, a source said. Lead times of 7-8 days are advised for all grades in the region.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have averaged 3% higher so far in May than across April, according to Insights Global data. At 7.22 million bbls, the region’s fuel oil stocks have started to recover after hitting an 18-month low in April. However, they remain below their five-year average for this time of year.

The region has imported 181,000 b/d of fuel oil in May so far, down compared to April’s 198,000 b/d, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa. 

Saudi Arabia has emerged as the region’s topmost import source, with 26% of the total share. Other import sources include the UAE (21%), Poland (16%) and Denmark (12%).

The ARA’s independent gasoil inventories – which include diesel and heating oil – have averaged 1% lower in April. The ARA hub has imported a total of 319,000 b/d so far this month, a significant increase from last month’s 202,000 b/d, according to Vortexa data.

Prompt bunker supply is good in Germany’s Hamburg port, a trader said. All bunker grades require lead times of 3-5 days.

Mediterranean

Securing prompt bunker deliveries can be difficult in Gibraltar Strait ports due to tight supply, a trader said. Lead times of 8-9 days are recommended for all fuel grades.

Gibraltar continues to face some congestion, according to port agent MH Bland.

On Wednesday, Gibraltar had six vessels awaiting bunkers due to limited bunker barge availability and a lack of space available for vessels, the port agent said.

There are also some bunker delays in Algeciras, where suppliers are running 2-16 hours behind schedule. One supplier in Algeciras is fully booked until early next month, a trader said.

Meanwhile, bunkering is progressing normally in Ceuta and Malta Offshore. Two vessels were scheduled to arrive for bunkers in Ceuta on Wednesday, according to shipping agent Jose Salama & Co.

Supply of all conventional fuel grades is normal off Malta and lead times of up to five days are recommended for VLSFO and HSFO. LSMGO requires 3-4 days, a trader said.

Supply of LSMGO and HSFO is good in Ceuta. Prompt deliveries within 2-3 days are possible.

Availability of all fuel grades has improved in the Greek port of Piraeus this week, with prompt deliveries available, a trader said.

Suppliers in the Turkish port of Istanbul can offer prompt LSMGO and ULSFO deliveries, while HSFO and VLSFO supplies remain very tight.

Africa

Availability of HSFO and VLSFO is good in the South African port of Durban. Deliveries of both grades require lead times of 2-4 days, a trader said. However, LSMGO supply is still dry in Durban.

Supply of VLSFO is normal in Richards Bay. Lead times of 7-10 days are typically advised for deliveries.

In Mozambique’s Nacala port, bunker supply is good, with prompt deliveries available for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO grades, a source said. Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is good in Maputo as well.

Supply of all grades is normal in Lome, with lead times of 5-7 days recommended. Bunker availability is normal off Walvis Bay, requiring lead times of 3-6 days.

Securing prompt deliveries of HSFO and VLSFO grades can be challenging in Mauritius’ Port Louis. Lead times of 7-10 are recommended. LSMGO is more readily available there, with lead times of 3-5 days.

By Shilpa Sharma

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 22 May, 2025