Once a week, bunker intelligence platform ENGINE will publish a snapshot of alternative and conventional bunker fuel prices in the world’s two biggest bunkering hubs. The following is the latest snapshot:

• Rotterdam B100’s discount to LSMGO tops $300/mt
• Earliest B100 delivery dates vary widely in Rotterdam
• LNG bunker delivery premium at $130/mt in Rotterdam

B100’s discount to VLSFO in Rotterdam has widened by $8/mt to $173/mt. Its discount to LSMGO has increased by a greater $24/mt in the past week, to reach $322/mt.

In Singapore, B100 has become $50/mt more expensive than VLSFO over the past week, pushing its premium to $519/mt. These prices include estimated pooling values for voyages between Singapore and EU ports.

B100 is also the cheapest fuel option in Rotterdam for dual-fuel vessels with Otto medium-speed (Otto MS) engines. Its discount to LNG has widened by $30/mt, now ranging between $91–257/mt depending on engine type.

For Otto MS engines, B100 is now $53/mt cheaper than LBM. But for ships with diesel slow-speed (diesel SS) engines, LBM is the more cost-effective option, priced $64/mt below B100 due to its lower methane slip.

Liquid fuels

VLSFO prices have remained mostly steady over the past week. Rotterdam’s benchmark has edged up by $1/mt, while Singapore’s has dipped by $7/mt.

Rotterdam’s B100 has declined by $7/mt.

B100 bunker availability has varied widely between suppliers in Rotterdam in the past week. One supplier had tight barge availability and could deliver with four days of lead time. Another could deliver in 1-2 days, but at a hefty price premium. Most suppliers needed 7-8 days of lead time.

Singapore’s B100 price has surged $43/mt higher over the past week.

Liquid gases

Rotterdam’s LNG bunker price has risen by $23/mt, while its LBM has followed closely with a $26/mt gain.

LNG’s price rise has come amid “increased demand for air conditioning due to the hot weather, demand for injection into underground gas storage, and continued demand for gas transportation to Eastern Europe,” according to the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

A $10/mt rise in Rotterdam’s LNG bunker delivery premium assessed by ENGINE has also contributed to the price increase. The premium is around $130/mt now.

Singapore’s LNG price has remained largely unchanged, slipping by just $1/mt over the past week.

By Konica Bhatt

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 15 July, 2025

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:

• Key Houston terminal shifts to single supplier
• Bunker demand declines in New York
• Petrobras implements quantity pricing in Santos

North America

Bunker fuel demand has dropped in Houston this week, while availability has improved.

“Avails are honestly looking much better than in the past few weeks,” a source said.

Both VLSFO and HSFO can be delivered within lead times of 3-5 days, while LSMGO is more readily available and can be delivered under three days.

The Enterprise Houston crude and refined products is now supplying bunkers exclusively sold through a single supplier, market sources say.

It supplies marine fuels including LSMGO and VLSFO via ex-pipe, and HSFO by barge.

“Permission for bunkering alongside has shifted from Enterprise to the supplier directly…so it’s safe to assume that any barge not tied to them will be rejected at this terminal,” a bunker trader said.

Alternative bunker options in the region include Bolivar Roads and the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA).

The hurricane season is underway in the US Gulf Coast region, which will run through to the end of November.

“It’s important to note that any storm hitting GOLA will impact bunker operations at both Bolivar Roads and the Port of Houston,” a source said.

For now, conditions are forecast to be favourable to bunkering off both GOLA and Corpus Christi.

Bunker demand has weakened in New York, while availability of bunker fuels remains decent. All fuel grades can be delivered within recommended lead times of 4-5 days.

“Overall demand has been down this week, but the past couple of weeks were very busy so it had to even out at some point,” a market source said.

No significant weather disruptions or congestion are expected in New York this week.

The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have also recorded a decrease in overall bunker demand this week.

“Fuel availability is a tad bit tight compared to east coast, and suppliers require at least seven days to make deliveries,” a source said.

Los Angeles has recorded an 11% decline in cargo import volumes this week compared to last week.

In Montreal, barge operations are restricted to daylight hours, and anchorage deliveries can be delayed by bunker barge readiness issues.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Panama’s bunker market has improved and demand has picked up compared to previous weeks. Availability is decent in the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, a source confirmed.

VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered with lead times ranging between 4-5 days, and HSFO in four days.

The Panama Canal is now operating at full capacity following severe and extended drought conditions that began in 2023. Canal authorities are maintaining a 50-foot draft through the dry season.

For the key Colombian ports of Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla, a bunker broker said, “Fuel availability is good. We can deliver VLSFO at $545/mt and LSMGO at $665/mt within three days.”

Bunker demand in Brazil remains steady, with prompt availability of VLSFO and LSMGO at Rio Grande and Rio de Janeiro, where lead times range between 3–5 days.

In Santos, congestion continues to be a regular issue, and supply is tighter with suppliers advising lead times of at least seven days in advance.

Petrobras has introduced additional discounts on stems over 1,500 mt that are supplied in Santos from 10 July, saying it wants to incentivise larger volumes and improve logistics.

Argentina is currently working on ramping up crude export infrastructure. Yacimientos Petrolíferos Fiscales (YPF)’s Punta Colorado terminal is expected to have 7 million bbls of crude storage and 550,000 b/d supply capacity, Antares Ship Agents informed.

Crude will load via two offshore buoy moorings, with a pipeline from Vaca Muerta also under construction. The terminal is expected online by mid-2027.

Operations at another anchorage on the Paraná Guazú River called KM 171, a key transshipment point for diesel imports into Paraguay, will continue for another 10 months.

Argentina’s Customs had planned to shut it from 1 August over authorisation issues, but reversed the decision after Paraguay protested.

Further south, availability is normal in Zona Comun with recommended lead times of 5-6 days for both VLSFO and LSMGO.

The anchorage is expected to experience periods of dense fog between 13-14 July, which may disrupt bunkering and cause temporary suspensions.

Deliveries here are subject to weather conditions and follow a first-come, first-served system.

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 11 July 2025

Beijing-based commodity market information provider JLC Network Technology Co. recently shared its JLC China Bunker monthly report for June 2025 with Manifold Times through an exclusive arrangement:

Bunker Fuel Demand

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales inch lower in June

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales inched lower in June, due to the negative impact from geopolitical tensions and seasonally tepid shipping demand.

The country sold about 1.74 million mt of bonded bunker fuel in June, with the daily sales at 57,910 mt, a dip of 0.26% month on month, JLC’s data shows.

Bonded bunker fuel sales by Chimbusco, Sinopec (Zhoushan), SinoBunker and China Changjiang Bunker (Sinopec) respectively settled at 460,000 mt, 560,000 mt, 45,000 mt and 25,000 mt in the month, while those by suppliers with regional bunkering licenses stood at 647,300 mt.

The efficiency of global trade declined amid trade war, leading to a slip in the world’s bunkering demand.

China’s LSFO output rallies in June

China’s LSFO output rallied in June amid unit restarts, but the rally was limited to some degree by some refineries’ maintenance and bad production margins.

Chinese refiners produced about 1.02 million mt of LSFO in the month, with the daily output rising by 10.58% month on month to 34,067 mt, JLC’s data shows.

Specifically, Sinopec maintained basically stable LSFO production in June. The company’s Shengli Oilfield and Jinling Petrochemical slashed their production after launching maintenance in the middle of the month, while Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical, Hunan Petrochemical and Tianjin Petrochemical wrapped up turnarounds and boosted their output.

PetroChina recorded a modest rise in its production in June as Jinxi Petrochemical restarted its units. However, Jinzhou Petrochemical and Liaohe Petrochemical slightly cut their production. The output of other refineries did not change much in the month.

CNOOC saw a significant boost in its output in the month, as Huizhou Refinery resumed production while Zhoushan Petrochemical and Taizhou Petrochemical ramped up production.

ZPC and Sinochem did not produce any LSFO in June, but the latter exported 10,000 mt of MGO.

On a year-on-year comparison, however, China’s LSFO output fell by 22.75% in June.

Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand weakens in June

Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand further weakened in June, with most shipowners still holding a wait-and-see attitude.

Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel demand slipped to 340,000 mt in the month, down 20,000 mt or 5.56% from the previous month, JLC’s data shows. Most purchases were still based on rigid demand, though market sentiment became slightly bullish.

Meanwhile, domestic-trade light bunker fuel demand declined to 140,000 mt, down 10,000 mt or 6.67% month on month. Diesel demand remained lackluster amid the fishing moratorium.

Bunker Fuel Supply

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports rebound in May

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports rebounded in May, as domestic refiners increased purchases of imported LSFO when domestic supply tightened.

Chinese bunker suppliers imported 610,500 mt of bonded bunker fuel in the month, a boost of 16.17% month on month and 97.06% year on year, JLC’s calculation shows, based on data from the GACC.

Domestic LSFO output extended declines amid more unit maintenance, forcing bonded distributors to place more orders for imported LSFO. Meanwhile, HSFO imports increased amid growing demand, while MGO arrivals dropped amid larger domestic production and tepid demand.

Russia became the largest bonded bunker fuel supplier to China in May, up from the fourth place in April. The country exported 377,700 mt of bonded bunker fuel to China in the month, accounting for 61.88% of the latter’s total imports. At the same time, Singapore came second with 144,500 mt, accounting for 23.67%, while South Korea ranked third with 50,300 mt, accounting for 8.23%. In addition, Malaysia ranked fourth with 38,000 mt, occupying 6.22%.

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports totaled 2.66 million mt in January-May, surging by 64.54% year on year, the calculation shows.

Domestic-trade bunker fuel supply continues to tighten in June

Domestic-trade bunker fuel supply continued to tighten in June, as the availability of blendstock declined and most blending in northeast and east China was still at a halt.

Blenders supplied about 360,000 mt of domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel in the month, down by 10,000 mt or 2.70% month on month, JLC’s data shows.

Domestic supply of low-sulfur residual oil tightened as China Offshore Bitumen (Binzhou) came under maintenance, while that of shale oil also declined. Meanwhile, most blenders in northeast and eastern China were yet to resume their blending, as the impact of tax inspections persisted.

Domestic-trade light bunker fuel supply dropped to 150,000 mt in June, down by 10,000 mt or 6.25% month on month, the data shows. Diesel supply tightened as some refineries lowered their operating rates amid unit maintenance.

Bunker Prices, Profits

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JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd is recognised as the leading information provider in China. We specialise in providing the transparent, high-value, authoritative market intelligence and professional analysis in commodity market. Our expertise covers oil, gas, coal, chemical, plastic, rubber, fertilizer and metal industry, etc.

JLC China Bunker Fuel Market Monthly Report is published by JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd every month on China bunker market, demand, supply, margin, freight index, forecast and so on. The report provides full-scale & concise insight into China bunker oil market.

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Note: China-based commodity market information provider JLC Technology has been providing Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times China bunker volume data since 2020. Data from earlier periods are available here.

Photo credit: JLC Network Technology
Published: 10 July 2025