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:
23 March 2023
North America
Prompt availability remains tight for all grades in Houston and a lead time of 6-7 days is generally recommended to ensure full coverage from all suppliers in the area. The Houston Ship Channel is expected to face fog-related disruptions on Saturday.
Prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is tight in Bolivar Roads. Most suppliers are able to deliver VLSFO and LSMGO stems with long lead times of 11-12 days.
Bunker operations have been suspended in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) for the entire week due to strong wind gusts. Operations are expected to resume with calmer weather from Saturday. A supplier is able to offer HSFO stems in GOLA for delivery in the second week of April.
Securing prompt VLSFO and LSMGO stems has been easier at the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA). Most suppliers can deliver stems with a lead time of seven days, down from last week’s recommended lead times of 11 days.
The West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles continue to see muted demand for all fuel grades. The ports’ container throughput slumped by 43% in February from a year earlier. Demand has been slightly better in Vancouver, further up the North American west coast. A supplier is only able to deliver LSMGO stems there in the first week of April.
Demand for HSFO and LSMGO in the East Coast port of New York has improved for prompt dates this week. Availability is also good and suppliers are able to deliver stems with a lead time of 3-4 days.
Caribbean and Latin America
Prompt supply of all grades can be tight in Panama’s Balboa. One supplier can deliver VLSFO on delivery dates after 5 April. Another supplier is neither able to accommodate HSFO deliveries for prompt dates or for dates further out.
However, the expected arrival of a tanker carrying a 532,000-bbl VLSFO cargo in Panama next week can improve VLSFO availability in Balboa and Cristobal.
VLSFO delivery is possible for prompt dates off Trinidad. Suppliers are able to deliver VLSFO stems within 4-5 days. However, bunker deliveries are also expected to be suspended due to strong wind gusts of up to 33 knots off Trinidad from Saturday onwards.
VLSFO can be delivered very prompt in Jamaica’s Kingston. One supplier can deliver VLSFO stems with just 1-2 days of lead time.
VLSFO and LSMGO supply has improved in Brazil’s Santos. One supplier can accommodate stems with a lead time of five days.
Prompt availability of VLSFO has become tight in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. A supplier is only able to deliver stems in the port after 6 April.
Demand for VLSFO and LSMGO has gone up in Argentina’s Zona Comun in the past week. Most supplier are able to deliver the stems for prompt dates as well as for dates further out. However, high winds are forecast at Zona Comun between Friday and Sunday morning and can trigger a bunker suspension or delays.
By Debarati Bhattacharjee
Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 24 March, 2023
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