Bunker fuel sales at Panama rose 10.5% year-on-year in July 2026, according to the latest data from La Autoridad Maritima de Panama, also known as the Panama Maritime Authority (PMA).

Total bunker sales at Panama was 427,985 metric tonnes (mt) in July 2026, compared to sales of 387,152 mt during the similar period in 2025.

In July 2026, the Pacific side of Panama posted bunker sales of 362,826 mt; 224,829 mt of VLSFO, 103,127 mt of RMG 380, 4,978 mt for marine gas oil (MGO), and 29,892 mt of low sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO) were delivered.

The similar region saw total marine sales of 316,932 mt a year before in July; with VLSFO sales at 205,610 mt, RMG 380 sales at 80,850 mt, MGO sales at 2,624 mt, and 27,848 mt of LSMGO being sold.

Panama’s Atlantic side, meanwhile, recorded total bunker fuel sales of 65,159 during July 2026; the figure comprised 52,759 mt of VLSFO, 2,869 mt of RMG 380, 2,972 mt of MGO, and 6,559 mt of LSMGO.

It saw total sales of 70,220 mt in July a year before; with VLSFO sales of 53,868 mt, RMG 380 sales of 6,042 mt, 1,659 mt of MGO, and LSMGO sales of 8,651 mt.

Photo credit: George Keel
Published: 20 August, 2026

The following article regarding Europe and Africa bunker fuel availability has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

• ARA availability remains tight for prompt dates
• Supply under pressure in some Scandinavian locations
• 4-5 days of lead time in Luanda

Northwest Europe

In the ARA, fuel availability remains tight for prompt supplies, with buyers advised lead times of 5-7 days to get good coverage from suppliers, a trader said.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have averaged 5% higher in August so far, compared to July’s monthly average, according to Insights Global data.

The region has imported 381,000 b/d of fuel oil to date in August, a sharp increase from July’s monthly average of 159,000 b/d, according to Vortexa cargo flows data. Most shipment volumes have come from Venezuela (21%), Benin (20%) and Lithuania (10%).

Meanwhile, the region has imported 129,000 b/d of gasoil by mid-August, up from an average of 119,000 b/d imported in June, according to Vortexa data. The biggest import sources have been the US (26%), the UK (11%) and France (8%).

Fuel availability is stable in Germany’s Hamburg, and buyers are advised a notice of five days to get delivery of any fuel grade, a trader told ENGINE.

In Sweden’s Gothenburg and in the bunker area off Denmark’s Skaw, deliveries may require longer lead times of 10-14 days, a trader told ENGINE.

Mediterranean

Bunker supplies are tight for prompt delivery dates in Gibraltar Strait ports, with buyers recommended a lead time of around 7-10 days to get good coverage from the area’s suppliers, a trader told ENGINE.

Demand is strong in Gibraltar. Around 12 vessels queued to bunker in the port on Wednesday morning, port agent MH Bland said.

In Spain’s Barcelona, buyers can secure supplies with a lead time of at least seven days, a trader said.

Fuel supplies are tight in Las Palmas, with buyers recommended earliest delivery dates of around 10 days out, a trader told ENGINE.

VLSFO, ULSFO and LSMGO availability is stable in the bunker areas off Malta. Buyers are still recommended around seven days of notice to get supplies, a trader said.

Prompt fuel availability is tight in Greece’s Piraeus, with buyers recommended lead times of 5-7 days, a trader said.

VLSFO and ULSFO availability is stable in Türkiye’s Istanbul, while LSMGO availability is tight, a local supplier informed ENGINE.

Africa

VLSFO and LSMGO are readily available in the Senegalese port of Dakar, a supplier told ENGINE.

In Togo’s Lome, availability is tight for prompt supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO, with buyers recommended lead times of 5-7 days for both fuel grades.

Off Namibia’s Walvis Bay, VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries are possible with a lead time of 5-7 days, a trader said. The weather is an issue in the area, with swells of more than 2 metres forecast continuously between 19 and 24 August. That can complicate offshore supplies.

VLSFO deliveries at the Lagos anchorage require 5-7 days’ lead time, a local supplier told ENGINE.

A supplier in Angola’s Luanda advised a lead time of 4-5 days to get supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO.

VLSFO availability is tight off Algoa Bay for prompt supplies, with buyers advised a lead time of at least a week, a trader said.

Bunker availability is tight in Port Louis, with suppliers quoting delivery dates in September at the earliest for all fuel grades, a trader said.

By Nachiket Tekawade

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 20 August, 2026

The following article regarding regional bunker fuel availability outlook for the East of Suez region has been provided by online marine fuels procurement platform ENGINE for publication on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

• Bunker demand low in Singapore
• Availability tight-but-improving in Zhoushan
• Bunker supply tight in several Japanese ports

Singapore and Malaysia

Singapore’s VLSFO availability has improved amid low demand, with suppliers now recommending lead times of 7-13 days, down from 12-21 days last week. HSFO supply has also eased, with recommended lead times narrowing to 6-13 days from 12-21 days. LSMGO availability has improved further, with lead times falling to 2-8 days from 4-12 days a week earlier.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks averaged 3% higher so far this month than in July, according to the latest data from Enterprise Singapore. Fuel oil inventories have climbed above 19 million bbls, supported by a 2% increase in net fuel oil imports so far in August. Imports have risen by 789,000 bbls, while exports have increased by 715,000 bbls.

In contrast, middle distillate inventories have declined by 15% so far this month to 7.34 million bbls.

In Malaysia’s Port Klang, bunker supply remains constrained. Prompt VLSFO availability is tight, while LSMGO supply remains limited and HSFO continues to be under pressure.

East Asia

Zhoushan’s VLSFO availability remains constrained despite muted bunker demand. Suppliers are recommending lead times of around 7-10 days, an improvement from around 11 days last week. LSMGO and HSFO lead times have also shortened to 7-10 days from around 11 days previously.

The supply tightness is largely a lingering effect of the two-week suspension of bunkering operations in Zhoushan due to Typhoon Dolphin. Although operations fully resumed on Friday, the prolonged disruption has generated significant backlogs, keeping supply conditions under pressure.

Across northern China, bunker availability remains mixed. Dalian and Qingdao have adequate VLSFO and LSMGO supply, although HSFO remains tight in Qingdao. Tianjin is facing constraints across all three major bunker grades, while Shanghai continues to have limited VLSFO and HSFO availability. LSMGO supply in Shanghai remains relatively stable.

Supply constraints also persist in southern China. Fuzhou continues to face tight VLSFO and LSMGO availability, while Xiamen has sufficient VLSFO but fewer prompt LSMGO stems. Both VLSFO and LSMGO remain constrained in Yangpu and Guangzhou.

Hong Kong’s bunker market is largely unchanged, with suppliers continuing to recommend lead times of around seven days for all major fuel grades.

In Taiwan, VLSFO and LSMGO can be supplied within around two days at Hualien, Kaohsiung and Keelung, while Taichung requires slightly longer lead times of 3-4 days.

Supply in Keelung has also been disrupted by bunker barge maintenance issues. One barge has suffered a major technical failure, while another has been undergoing dry dock maintenance. A bunker barge from Taichung has since been temporarily deployed to support operations and reduce waiting times. The damaged barge is expected to return to service in October, according to a Taiwan-based trader.

Bunker availability at South Korea’s southern ports, including Busan, Ulsan, Masan, Onsan, Yeosu and Kwangyang, remains good. Recommended lead times for VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO are around five days, compared with 4-6 days last week.

A similar trend is seen at the country’s western ports, including Incheon, Daesan, Dangjin, Pyeongtaek and Taean. Lead times for all three fuel grades stand at around five days, compared with 4-6 days a week ago.

Supply remains tight across Japan’s major bunkering hubs, including Tokyo, Chiba, Kawasaki, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Osaka, Kobe and Mizushima, where only a limited number of suppliers are offering VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO. Oita and Kashima are also experiencing constrained availability of VLSFO and HSFO, with lead times of around 10 days recommended.

In Tokyo, Chiba and Kawasaki, the earliest delivery for VLSFO and HSFO requires 10-11 days.

Oceania

VLSFO availability remains steady across Western Australia, with suppliers in Kwinana and Fremantle recommending lead times of around seven days. Both ports rely on a single supplier, with all bunker deliveries conducted by barge.

Supply conditions are more varied along Australia’s east coast. In Port Kembla, VLSFO can be delivered either by truck or pipeline, while Sydney has adequate stocks of both VLSFO and LSMGO. HSFO supply in Sydney is comparatively tighter, with suppliers generally advising lead times of about seven days.

In Queensland, VLSFO and LSMGO remain readily available in Brisbane and Gladstone, with lead times holding at around one week.

Further south, Melbourne and Geelong have comfortable VLSFO inventories. However, both ports depend on a single bunker barge, keeping recommended lead times at approximately seven days. HSFO availability has tightened further in Melbourne and Brisbane.

Meanwhile, one supplier is offering all major bunker grades in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne, with lead times of roughly five days.

In Western Australia, pipeline-based bunker deliveries at Dampier Cargo Wharf (DCW) remain suspended until around the end of September as repair work continues. Limited truck deliveries are still possible, depending on vessel size. During the disruption, the supplier has designated the Toll Supply Base (TSB) in Dampier as the preferred location for bunker operations, according to a source.

Across the Tasman, bunker availability in New Zealand remains broadly unchanged. VLSFO is readily available in Tauranga and Auckland, with suppliers recommending lead times of about four days. At Marsden Point, both VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered directly to vessels via pipeline.

Weather remains the main operational risk in New Zealand. Bunker deliveries in Wellington and ports across the South Island are particularly vulnerable to delays during periods of adverse weather.

South Asia

VLSFO and HSFO availability remains tight at several Indian ports, including Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, Paradip, Haldia, Chennai, Tuticorin and New Mangalore, according to an India-based source.

HSFO, meanwhile, is available subject to enquiry at Kandla, Sikka, Pipavav and Hazira, the source added.

Adverse weather is expected to disrupt bunker operations at several Indian ports in the coming days. Sikka, Mumbai, Kandla and Visakhapatnam could face operational disruptions between 18-22 August.

In Sri Lanka, intermittent weather-related disruptions are also forecast at Colombo and Trincomalee over the same period, raising the risk of delays to bunker deliveries.

Middle East

Renewed tensions between the US and Iran around the Strait of Hormuz continue to weigh on bunker fuel supply in Fujairah. VLSFO and LSMGO availability remains tight, broadly unchanged from last week, with only a limited number of suppliers able to offer LSMGO. HSFO supply is also constrained.

Supply conditions are more comfortable at nearby Khor Fakkan, where VLSFO and HSFO remain readily available. Despite the heightened regional tensions, bunker demand has increased at both Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, according to a Middle East-based source.

In Saudi Arabia, VLSFO and LSMGO availability at Jeddah remains steady despite stronger demand. However, rough weather is expected to disrupt bunker operations intermittently at Jeddah and Yanbu between 18-20 August.

Bunker availability remains constrained at Qatar’s Ras Laffan, with supplies of both VLSFO and LSMGO still limited.

“Middle Eastern ports are generally operational. There are some delays at some Saudi ports due to additional procedures,” an Oman-based trader said.

Across Oman’s key ports, including Salalah, Muscat, Duqm and Sohar, LSMGO availability remains stable, with suppliers recommending lead times of 2-3 days depending on the port and nomination. Adverse weather forecast in Salalah between 18-22 August could, however, temporarily disrupt bunkering operations, according to a source.

Egyptian ports remain fully operational, although bunker inventories at Port Suez are critically low across all three conventional fuel grades.

Further south, availability of all major bunker fuel grades remains limited in Djibouti.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 19 August, 2026