Business

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Prompt supply tight in Houston and LA/LB; US fuel oil stocks and production fall despite higher refinery utilisation; Zona Comun VLSFO and LSMGO tight amid refinery turnaround.

Published

5 years ago

March 25, 2022

Admin

Resized Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook image for Manifold Times

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:

Prompt supply tight in Houston and LA/LB
US fuel oil stocks and production fall despite higher refinery utilisation
Zona Comun VLSFO and LSMGO tight amid refinery turnaround

Prompt delivery dates can be tight in the Houston area, with some suppliers unable to deliver VLSFO and LSMGO prompt and others citing their earliest dates 3-5 days ahead.

A supplier is out of all fuel grades in Houston and is uncertain when its stocks will get replenished. HSFO380 is generally tighter than VLSFO and LSMGO and may require longer lead times.

All grades are tight for prompt dates in Los Angeles and Long Beach, with LSMGO particularly tight with one supplier.

A supplier in New York has announced a barge surcharge increase from 1 April. Its new surcharge means that 51% of the cost of fuel is now added on top to cover barging costs.

Other suppliers in New York and other US East Coast ports raised surcharges to 22% earlier this month, after not previously having had any surcharges. They will be updated on a monthly basis.

US fuel oil stocks fell last week as a build on the Gulf Coast was countered by East Coast and West Coast draws, according to EIA government data.

The country’s stocks have shed 3% from a high of 27.54 million bbls at the start of the month.

Stocks have been drawn amid a 7% boost in supply out to refiners, blenders and bulk terminals on a weekly average in March compared to February, and a 6% drop in imports.

Refinery production has been steady between the months even as total refinery utilisation has risen to seven-year highs in the two most recent weeks. Higher refinery utilisation should normally yield more fuel oil as a by-product, but refiners have been eager to maximise distillate yields amid low stocks and soaring prices.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability ranges between normal to tight for prompt dates in Panama, with around four days of lead time required with certain suppliers in Balboa.

Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO supply remains tight in Zona Comun. The earliest delivery dates vary between suppliers, ranging from 4-5 days to 11 days.

VLSFO has been tight in Argentina since the PAE Campana refinery shut for planned maintenance, shipping agent Antares says, and expects product flows from the refinery to normalise towards the end of March.

Campana shipped some low sulphur fuel oil cargoes intermittently in the months before the maintenance, especially to Buenos Aires, with the last cargo going there in late January, Vortexa cargo data shows.

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 25 March, 2022

Legal

Shell Singapore charged over Pulau Bukom oil leaks, reporting delays

Shell faces four charges under Singapore’s Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act over two 2024 oil discharge incidents at its Pulau Bukom facility.

Published

11 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

2 MPA craft (left) supporting Shell craft in the clean up operations of the oil sheens taken on 28 Dec 9am

Shell Singapore has been charged over two incidents in 2024 involving oily mixtures discharged into Singapore waters from its facilities at Pulau Bukom, according to media reports on Tuesday (22 September).

The company faces four charges under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, including allegations that it failed to report the discharges to the port master immediately.

The first incident occurred on 20 October 2024, when approximately 40 metric tonnes (mt) of oily mixture was discharged through a hole in a pipeline at the Shell Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park at about 8am.

Shell is accused of reporting the incident to the port master at about 12.55pm, several hours after the discharge occurred.

The second incident took place between 26 and 28 December 2024. An estimated 485kg to 956kg of oil mixture was discharged into Singapore waters from the same facility.

Shell is accused of failing to report the incident immediately, with notification to the port master made at about 11.50am on 26 December 2024, according to the charges.

Singapore’s pollution-prevention regulations require occupiers of such facilities to report oil or oily-mixture discharges into Singapore waters “without delay and to the fullest extent possible”.

Shell’s representative requested an eight-week adjournment at the 22 September hearing, citing the need to obtain internal instructions, appoint counsel and locate historical records. The company said the business associated with the incidents had been divested in 2025.

The case was adjourned to October. Shell is also facing prosecution by Singapore’s National Environment Agency over the same incidents.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 25 September, 2026

Incident

MPA probes Singapore Strait collision involving fishing vessel, bulk carrier

MPA says there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel in the incident involving China-registered fishing vessel “Lu Qing Yuan Yu” and Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux” .

Published

12 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) said it is investigating the incident involving the China-registered fishing vessel Lu Qing Yuan Yu and the Panama-registered bulk carrier First Margaux in the Singapore Strait on 17 September.

MPA said there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel or pollution arising from the incident and navigational traffic was not affected.

Videos circulating on social media showed the bulk carrier colliding with the fishing vessel.

“The fishing vessel took on water during the incident but remained afloat and stable, with the crew taking measures to manage the situation onboard,” MPA said.

The vessel was subsequently towed to Raffles Reserved Anchorage for assessment.

Essential crew remained onboard to support the tow, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force supported the transfer of other crew to shore.

MPA added it also issued navigational safety broadcasts to keep other vessels clear of the tow and escorted the vessel into port with a MPA craft.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Arnold Pohen
Published: 25 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Bunker barge “Kingston Trader” is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

Published

12 hours ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Thursday (24 September) said its bunker barge Kingston Trader is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

The company said the latest installation brings the proportion of TFG Marine’s fleet equipped with MFMs to approximately 88%, marking another step in the continued rollout of this technology across its global bunkering operations.

“The barge will operate in Jamaica through our local partnership with Scott Petroleum, becoming the first bunkering vessel in the region equipped with this technology and bringing greater accuracy, transparency and assurance to fuel measurement for customers across the Caribbean,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“Together with Scott Petroleum, we look forward to working collaboratively with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, the The Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam Limited and other stakeholders to share our experience of MFM technology, explore its wider benefits and support the continued development of bunkering standards across the region.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine continuing to expand MFM technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet with Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304 being fitted with the equipment.

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 25 September, 2026