Bunker Fuel

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (19 Oct 2023)

Prompt supply tight in West Coast ports; bad weather continues to disrupt Zona Comun bunkering; prompt HSFO tight in New York.

Published

2 years ago

October 20, 2023

Admin

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 West Coast ports
Bad weather continues to disrupt Zona Comun bunkering
Prompt HSFO tight in New York

North America

Demand for all fuel grades has improved in Houston this week. VLSFO and LSMGO grades are generally in good supply with suppliers in the Houston area. Most suppliers are able to deliver stems with 2-3 days of lead time, as well as on dates further out. HSFO needs a longer lead time of 6-7 days with most suppliers.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is tight for prompt dates in Bolivar Roads. Deliveries are subject to weather conditions and anchorage schedules, a source says. One supplier is able to deliver LSMGO stems in the area with a lead time of six days.

Bad weather has triggered intermittent bunker suspensions in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA). As a result, it can be hard to fix VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries for prompt dates in GOLA. One supplier is hesitant to supply prompt stems as it works to clear previous weather backlogs, a source says.

However, the weather has been calmer in GOLA in recent days and one supplier is able to offer LSMGO stems within three days of lead time. HSFO stems can be secured with another supplier with nine days of lead time.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is said to be normal at the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA). One supplier can deliver both fuel grades with a lead time of 2-3 days.

In the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles, demand has been normal. A lead time of more than seven days is generally recommended for VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries. One supplier is only able to offer VLSFO and LSMGO stems in Los Angeles with a lead time of at least nine days. HSFO can be more difficult to secure because fewer suppliers offer the grade.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO in San Francisco is very limited at the moment. One supplier is only able to deliver after 28 October, while another supplier requires a lead time of 10-11 days for delivery. The supply shortage is largely due to product loading delays and congestion at oil terminals, according to a source.

Demand has been slightly better in the East Coast port of New York. Suppliers are able to deliver LSMGO and VLSFO stems within 3-4 days of lead time. Securing HSFO stems can require a longer lead time, which is typical because fewer suppliers offer the grade there.

Caribbean and Latin America

Prompt availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal. Several suppliers are able to offer stems within a range of 3-7 days of lead time. Securing HSFO stems for prompt dates can be possible with some suppliers, but a lead time of 7-9 days is generally recommended.

Prompt availability of VLSFO and LSMGO remains normal off Trinidad and in Jamaica’s Kingston.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is good for very prompt dates in the Bahamas’ Freeport. A supplier can offer stems with a lead time of just 1-2 days.

Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO supply remains tight in Argentina’s Zona Comun. Strong wind gusts ranging between 26-34 knots are forecast to hit Zona Comun from this evening onwards, which could cause prolonged delays and disruptions, a source says. Rough weather conditions are forecast to persist throughout next week.

Several Brazilian ports have good bunker fuel availability. One supplier can supply VLSFO and LSMGO in Itaqui the next day, and with four days of lead time in Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande. The same supplier can deliver both fuel grades within two days in Salvador.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 20 October, 2023

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Japan’s first antioxidant by NYK for biodiesel bunker fuel set to release in August

Nippon Yuka Kogyo (Nippon Yuka), an NYK Group company specialising in chemical R&D as well as the manufacture and sale of chemical products, on Wednesday (21 May) announced the upcoming release of BioxiGuard, the Japan’s first antioxidant specially developed for marine biodiesel, from 10 August.

NYK said compared with conventional petroleum-based fuels, biofuel contains a higher proportion of unsaturated fatty acids, making it more susceptible to oxidative degradation. Once oxidised, the biofuel can produce acidic substances and sludge, adversely affecting vessel fuel efficiency by reducing the fuel’s calorific value.

Developed by Nippon Yuka based on property analyses of the biofuel used in NYK-operated vessels, BioxiGuard is specifically formulated to enhance the oxidation stability of biodiesel. When added to biofuel, BioxiGuard slows the progression of oxidative degradation and helps deter issues such as metal corrosion, strainer blockage, and cleaning-system fouling often triggered by oxidised fuel.

According to laboratory tests conducted by Nippon Yuka researchers, the addition of BioxiGuard at a concentration of 1 part per 500 resulted in an approximate 50% reduction in the rate of biofuel degradation compared to untreated biofuel.

This significant improvement underscores the potential for vessel operators to not only extend the useful life of biofuel on board but also maintain more stable and cost-effective vessel operations.

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Published: 22 May, 2025

Newbuilding

Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

The 9,100 CEU “Höegh Sunrise”, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

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Höegh Autoliners latest LNG dual-fuel PCTC en route to Shanghai for bunkering

Höegh Autoliners on Tuesday (20 May) said its latest liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel pure car and truck carrier has departed China Merchants Heavy Industry’s yard, ready to commence its commercial operations.

The 9,100 CEU Höegh Sunrise, currently sailing the seas, is on its way to Shanghai for bunkering before sailing to Japan and then towards Europe.

The PCTC is the fifth in a series of 12 Aurora Class vessels built by the shipyard in China. The first eight Auroras are or will be equipped with engines primed to run on LNG and low-sulphur oil.

These vessels can be converted to run on ammonia later. By 2027, Höegh Autoliners said the four last vessels of the series will be able to run net zero on ammonia directly from the yard when delivered.

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of Höegh Autoliner’s fourth Aurora Class newbuild, Höegh Sunlight, at Taicang Haitong Auto Terminal.

Photo credit: Höegh Autoliners
Published: 22 May, 2025

Alternative Fuels

UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

Company says bunkering liquefied biomethane will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

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UECC: Liquefied biomethane bunker fuel to enable compliance surplus under FuelEU

United European Car Carriers (UECC) on Monday (19 May) said bunkering liquefied biomethane (LBM), also known as bio-LNG, will give it a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism.

UECC’s Senior Manager of Business Planning & Sustainability, Masanori Nagashima, said bio-LNG is now seen by the company as the key fuel to achieve its target of a 45% reduction in carbon intensity by 2030 versus a 2014 baseline and net zero by 2040 – ahead of the 2050 deadline set by both the IMO and EU.

The marine fuel is being bunkered on UECC’s dual and multi-fuel LNG PCTCs – three of which have battery hybrid capability – under Sail for Change that was launched by UECC last year and currently has participation by automotive giants including Toyota, Ford and JLR.

The company also has on order two multi-fuel LNG battery hybrid newbuild PCTCs due for delivery in 2028 that could be enlisted into the programme.

The overall carbon intensity of the UECC fleet, using the same gCO2e/MJ (grams of CO2 equivalent per megajoule) metric as FuelEU, is calculated at 68 gCO2e/MJ to achieve an interim target of a 25% carbon intensity reduction in 2025, though the company is expected to achieve 57 gCO2e/MJ this year based on its supply plan, according to Nagashima.

This is significantly below the current FuelEU threshold of 89.3 gCO2e/MJ – a 2% reduction from the baseline of 91.16 gCO2e/MJ – and still lower than the threshold of 77.9 gCO2e/MJ from 2035 that is a 14.5% reduction versus the baseline figure.

“The low carbon intensity of our fleet means all of our vessels are expected to gain a C rating or above with the IMO’s Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII)” Nagashima explained.

“It also gives us a significant compliance surplus under FuelEU that can be monetised through the regulation’s pooling mechanism, allowing a great commercial opportunity to offset regulatory costs for customers and eliminate FuelEU surcharges.”

“UECC will continue to accelerate its progress in improving decarbonisation of its fleet by further optimising our fuel mix strategy going forward to incorporate more high-impact fuels as these become viable.”

Photo credit: Titan Clean Fuels
Published: 22 May, 2025