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

1 month 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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Digital platform

ZeroNorth enables Golden Island to become Singapore’s first 100% digital bunker supplier

Access to ZeroNorth Bunker Electronic Bunker Delivery Notes (eBDN) will streamline bunker processes, enabling Golden Island to drive efficiency, transparency, and contribute to decarbonising shipping.

Published

22 hours ago

November 30, 2023

Admin

Technology company ZeroNorth on Thursday (30 November) has announced that it has enabled its customer Golden Island Diesel Oil Trading Pte Ltd (Golden Island) to become the first marine fuel supplier in Singapore to go 100% digital in its use of Electronic Bunker Delivery Notes (eBDN).

Golden Island has chosen ZeroNorth Bunker’s eBDN solution, developed by BTS and recently consolidated under the ZeroNorth Bunker brand. The company will be able to provide 100% digital processes to increase transparency and improve collaboration.

“Enabled by ZeroNorth’s technology platform, Golden Island plans to stop issuing physical BDNs from 1 December, as part of the company’s digitalisation initiative to move away from manual, paper-based processes and reduce its environmental impact on the journey to greener operations,” ZeroNorth said in a statement shared with Singapore-based bunkering publication Manifold Times.

ZeroNorth’s eBDN service will digitalise the bunker delivery process for its customers, with Golden Island the first to benefit and swiftly and securely verify purchased fuel quantities, eliminate delays and ensure smooth transactions.

“This move will help Golden Island to streamline the bunkering documentation process, increasing transparency, and driving efficiency and productivity across its marine fuel delivery operations. Digitalisation will enhance crew productivity and operational efficiencies. By eliminating paper forms with ZeroNorth’s solution, Golden Island expects to save at least two hours of manual data entry work each day,” ZeroNorth added.

By digitalising the bunkering process, ZeroNorth will turn millions of data points into actionable recommendations for Golden Island on where it can drive efficiencies and achieve greener operations. With more data being interpreted through the digitalisation of BDNs, increasingly robust insights and analysis of emissions will then be generated for customers, further powering up the marine fuel market’s data flywheel. This will also enhance reporting, as information is standardised and readily available in a digital format.

Tomohiro Yamano, General Manager, Marine Fuel Department at Golden Island, said: “A month after the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) launched its digital bunkering initiative as the first port in the world to implement eBDN, we are proud to be the first company to fully switch to eBDN in the Singapore bunkering market. To achieve this, we required a solution that would facilitate a seamless workflow to enhance the productivity and efficiency of our marine fuel delivery operations.

“We were impressed with ZeroNorth’s deep understanding of the bunker industry and the capabilities of its eBDN solution. Digitalising our bunker processes with eBDN fits in with our digitalisation initiative to enhance and streamline operations, which will in turn also drive easier reporting and analysis of emissions.”

Kenneth Juhls, Managing Director for ZeroNorth Bunker at ZeroNorth, said: “Bunker procurement has been a traditionally cumbersome process, burdened by manual documentation. We’re delighted to be helping Golden Island eliminate these manual processes to streamline documentation, drive efficiencies and boost productivity across its operations as a global eBDN solution on the market.

“Given the integral role marine fuels are set to play in decarbonising shipping, ZeroNorth is proud to help our customers and the wider industry digitalise bunker operations. The data generated will in turn help enable the data flywheel effect, driving actionable recommendations on where further efficiencies can be created for the benefit of both profit and planet.”

The first internal trial for Golden Island using ZeroNorth’s eBDN solution began in November 2022. The company is now ready to adopt it into its operations after a year testing the solution, with assistance and approval from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Manifold Times previously reported Singapore bunker supplier Golden Island Diesel Oil Trading Pte Ltd (Golden Island) will be fully adopting the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) for commercial bunkering operations from 1 December 2023 onwards.

ZeroNorth also announced it won the Digitalisation Award at the Marine Fuels 360 Awards Gala Dinner on 29 November.

Commenting on the award, Juhls said: “We are proud and humble to get recognised by this award. The full team in ZeroNorth works hard everyday to bring value to our clients through our software solution. We are looking forward to continuing our collaboration with our customers, partners and the industry in our ambition of making global trade green.”

Photo credit: ZeroNorth / Informa Markets
Published: 30 November, 2023

Biofuel

Kenoil Marine Services to conduct first-ever bunkering of bio-blended LSMGO in Singapore

“Kosmos Lily” is slated to supply bio-blended LSMGO, sourced from Alpha Biofuels, representing the first-ever bunkering of bio-blended LSMGO in Port of Singapore, says Jurong Port.

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2023

Admin

Kenoil Marine Services to conduct first-ever bunkering of bio-blended LSMGO in Singapore

Jurong Port on Wednesday (29 November) said Kenoil Marine Services Pte Ltd, a licensed bunker supplier, successfully loaded 200 metric tonnes of B24 bio-blended Low Sulphur Marine Gas Oil (LSMGO) in Singapore.

The B24 marine biofuel blend was onto Kenoil Marine’s bunker tanker Kosmos Lily.

“Kosmos Lily is slated to supply this bio-blended LSMGO, sourced from Alpha Biofuels, representing the first-ever bunkering of bio-blended LSMGO in the Port of Singapore,” Jurong Port said in a social media post.

“Jurong Port takes pride in serving as the preferred port infrastructure for biofuel bunkering, and supporting the maritime industry's energy transition toward achieving net-zero emissions.”

Separately, Allan Lim Yee Chian, Founder and CEO at Alpha Biofuels, said the firm has been working to produce, blend and supply better quality biofuels for the maritime industry for over the last two years.

“We focused a lot on traceability of the biofuels , stability of the blended product and also the cost of the product,” he said in a social media post.

“The result is a bio-bunker fuel that balances the need for decarbonisation by the industry against the cost of sustainable biofuel.”

Photo credit: Jurong Port
Published: 30 November, 2023

Newbuilding

SeaTech Solutions and partners to develop India’s first electric tug E-VOLT 50

Other partners involved are India’s GRSE, Shift Clean Energy and ABS; GRSE will build an electric tug based on the E-VOLT 50 design by Singapore-based SeaTech Solutions.

Published

1 day ago

November 30, 2023

Admin

SeaTech Solutions and partners to develop India’s first electric tug E-VOLT 50

Singapore-based marine engineering and vessel design specialist SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte Ltd on Tuesday (28 November) on Tuesday (28 November) said it inked Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) Ltd, Shift Clean Energy and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) on 22 November.

The collaboration aims to bring to fruition the country’s first Electric Tug E-VOLT 50, an initiative to decarbonise India’s tugboat industry by curbing carbon emissions, enhancing operational efficiency, and establishing new benchmarks for performance and environmental sustainability.

GRSE India will build an electric tug based on the E-VOLT 50 design by SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte Ltd.

Cmde PR Hari, IN (Retd), Chairman and Managing Director, GRSE, said: “We are excited to be part of this groundbreaking collaboration that combines the expertise of GRSE and three industry-leading organisations.

“E-VOLT 50 is a bold step towards a cleaner and greener future for the maritime sector. By utilizing sustainable energy solutions and cutting-edge technology, we aim to redefine the standards of

performance, efficiency, and environmental stewardship.”

Prabjot Chopra, VP Technology at SeaTech Solutions, said, “We are delighted to work with GRSE, Shift Energy and ABS on this E-VOLT 50, India’s first Electric Tug, which will pave the way for India’s Green port operation.”

“As the collaborative efforts of GRSE, SeaTech Solutions, Shift Energy, and ABS take shape, the Electric Tugs E-VOLT 50 project stands as a testament to India's commitment to fostering a sustainable maritime industry that aligns with global environmental goals,” SeaTech Solutions added.

“This initiative reflects a pivotal moment in the evolution of green shipbuilding, marking a significant stride towards a cleaner, greener, and more efficient future for the maritime sector.”

Photo credit: SeaTech Solutions International
Published: 30 November, 2023