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ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Bunker fuel availability normal in Houston; supply improves in Brazilian ports; availability is very tight in Zona Comun.

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RESIZED ENGINE Americas

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:

10 August 2023

  • Bunker fuel availability normal in Houston
  • Supply improves in Brazilian ports
  • Availability is very tight in Zona Comun

 

North America

Bunker fuel prices in most Americas ports have climbed this week. Despite the price rise, demand for all grades has improved across major regional bunkering ports.

VLSFO and LSMGO supply has been good in the Houston area, partly due to its large pool of suppliers in the region. Most suppliers are able to deliver stems with 2-4 days of lead time. There is stronger demand for delivery dates in the last week of August, and several suppliers are able to offer them.

HSFO can also be secured with a longer lead time of 5-7 days with most suppliers. However, one supplier can deliver it on very prompt dates.

The cost of feedstocks used for fuel oil blending remains high. That has kept VLSFO and LSMGO prices elevated in Beaumont, a trader says. Some physical bunker suppliers are waiting for the cost to reduce in order to book replenishment cargoes. Availability of all grades remains good for prompt dates.

Prompt delivery of VLSFO and LSMGO is possible in Bolivar Roads with a recommended lead time of 3-5 days. However, deliveries there are still subject to weather conditions and the availability of anchorage space, a source says.

Availability of all fuel grades is normal for prompt dates in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), a source says. The offshore area is forecast to experience favourable weather conditions through this week, which would allow smooth bunker deliveries there.

Securing prompt VLSFO and LSMGO stems is possible at the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA). A few suppliers are able to deliver stems with a lead time of 4-5 days in the area.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in the East Coast port of New York.

Bunker fuel availability in the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles is better than normal. Demand has also improved in the ports, despite a spike in LSMGO price over the past two weeks.

 

Caribbean and Latin America

Demand have been high for all grades in Panamanian ports this week. Prompt availability of all fuel grades is normal in Balboa and Cristobal. Two suppliers are able to deliver HSFO stems in the ports with lead times of 2-4 days.

HSFO is tight for prompt dates off Trinidad. VLSFO and LSMGO can be secured with a lead time of 5-7 days.

For over a month now, demand for HSFO in Peru’s Callao has been muted. As a result, one supplier has halted HSFO offers in the port. Currently, there is only one supplier that can offer immediate delivery of HSFO.

Securing LSMGO and VLSFO for prompt dates at the Zona Comun anchorage is extremely difficult. The earliest delivery dates with several suppliers in Zona Comun stretch up to the last week of August.

Strong wind gusts ranging between 26-30 knots are forecast to hit Zona Comun on Friday, which could delay bunker operations until Monday. Winds at the higher end of that range can pose problems to bunker deliveries by barge.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO grades in Brazilian ports has improved this week. Some suppliers are able to deliver both grades with 4-5 days of lead time in Santos and Rio Grande.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 11 August, 2023 

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Technology

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

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Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

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Legal

Singapore withdraws remaining 127 charges against Hin Leong founder OK Lim

Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges on 17 July.

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RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

Founder of collapsed oil trader Hin Leong Trading, Lim Oon Kuin, also known as OK Lim, has had the remaining 127 charges against him withdrawn, according to The Straits Times on Monday (20 July). 

OK Lim was issued a stern warning and a district court granted him a discharge amounting to an acquittal for these charges, including those for cheating, on 17 July. The discharge means Lim cannot be prosecuted again for the same offences.

Lim, 84, is currently serving a 13½-year prison sentence after the High Court reduced his original 17½-year jail term in March 2026. He was convicted in 2024 on two cheating charges and one count of abetting forgery in a case prosecutors described as one of Singapore’s most serious trade finance frauds.

Lim was convicted in May 2024 of two charges of cheating the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and one count of abetting forgery that proceeded to trial out of a total of 130 criminal charges.

He was first charged in court on 14 August 2020, and was subsequently handed further charges in court on 25 September 2020, 30 April 2021 and 24 June 2021 for his role in perpetuating fraud on various financial institutions. 

A total of 130 charges were eventually brought against him for cheating and forgery-related offences.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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Winding up

Singapore: Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd to be wound up voluntarily

Coastal Logistics was reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

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RESIZED Drew Beamer

Several resolutions for Coastal Logistics Pte Ltd were made during an extraordinary general meeting held on 14 July, according to a notice in the Government Gazette on Friday (4 July).

The following resolutions were duly passed during the meeting:

As Special Resolution

  • That it has been proved to the satisfaction of the meeting that the Company cannot by reason of its liabilities continue its business and accordingly the Company be wound up voluntarily pursuant to Section 160(1)(b) of the Insolvency, Restructuring and Dissolution Act 2018 (No. 40 of 2018);

As Ordinary Resolutions

  • that Mr. Wong Pheng Cheong Martin and Ms. Koay May Yee, both care of FTI Consulting (Singapore) Pte Ltd, One Raffles Quay, #27-10 South Tower, Singapore 048583 be appointed as the joint and several Liquidators of the Company for the purpose of such winding up; and
  • that the Liquidators be at liberty to open, maintain and operate any bank account(s) or account(s) for monies received by them as Liquidators with such bank(s) as they deem fit; and
  • that a Committee of Inspection will not be formed.

Manifold Times previously reported Nicholas James Gronow, director of Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping and Coastal Logistics, filed statutory declarations for both companies stating the firms cannot continue their businesses due to liabilities.

Both companies were reportedly affiliated with troubled Singapore bunker player Coastal Oil (Singapore) Pte Ltd. 

In 2019, several vessels owned by both firms entered the sale & purchase (S&P) market in Singapore.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

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