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:

21 July 2022

• Prompt stems generally available in the region
• Supply tight in Panama, especially gasoil
• Santos VLSFO back to discounts amid good availability

North America

Prompt HSFO deliveries are available with several suppliers in the Houston area, although one supplier has reportedly been unable to accommodate a prompt stem.

Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO grades are readily available in the Houston area and in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA). LSMGO can be delivered in three days with a supplier, VLSFO in just one day.

Smaller stem sizes are typically priced more competitively than larger ones in Houston, but this can vary from stem to stem.

Availability of prompt product can be slightly tighter in New Orleans, where a supplier can offer VLSFO and LSMGO with five days of lead time, while another’s earliest delivery dates are 7-8 days out. But it varies between suppliers. One supplier can deliver within a day in the port.

Availability is mixed in the US Gulf Coast port of Pascagoula. One supplier has no LSMGO availability for dates 4-5 days out, while another supplier can accommodate.

Caribbean and Latin America

Bunker availability continues to be under pressure in Panama and Trinidad, especially for LSMGO. Balboa’s LSMGO price has shot up to big premiums of $120-130/mt over Houston in the past two days.

The earliest delivery dates for LSMGO and HSFO in Balboa vary between 12 days with one supplier and 8-10 days with another.

A supplier in Panama can deliver LSMGO and VLSFO with six days of lead time in Balboa, but has more constrained availability in Cristobal for those dates, and bunker schedules are overall busy for the remaining dates of the month across both sides of the Panama Canal.

VLSFO is in limited supply well into the first half of August with a supplier in Cristobal. Availability is slightly better in Balboa, but is still under pressure for prompt dates with certain suppliers.

VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries are available with a supplier off Trinidad with 4-5 days of lead time, while another supplier can only deliver VLSFO on prompt dates.

The grades are also available with roughly four days of lead time off Aruba.

Prompt availability of VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO is normal in St. Eustatius, where a supplier can accommodate stems with 4-5 days of lead time. Cruise ships will take priority in the bunker line-up when they arrive, however.

Suppliers in both Santos and Zona Comun have good VLSFO availability for dates towards the end of the month, but the Brazilian port has been pricing the grade more competitively to Zona Comun.

Zona Comun’s VLSFO benchmark flipped to a premium over Santos on Thursday for the first time in over a week. It had previously been at sustained discounts to both Santos and other Brazilian ports.

Most suppliers in Uruguay’s Montevideo can accommodate VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries on dates towards the end of the month, but prices remain elevated against Argentina’s nearby Zona Comun anchorage.

Montevideo prices VLSFO around $130/mt higher than in Zona Comun, and LSMGO over $300/mt higher.

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 21 July, 2022