Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (17 Oct 2024)

VLSFO and HSFO supply remains tight in Singapore; bunker demand is low in Zhoushan; LSMGO availability is good in Omani ports.

Published

2 months ago

October 16, 2024

Admin

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:

VLSFO and HSFO supply remains tight in Singapore
Bunker demand is low in Zhoushan
LSMGO availability is good in Omani ports

Singapore and Malaysia

VLSFO availability in Singapore remains tight amid strong bunker demand, with recommended lead times of 10-13 days, consistent with last week. Prompt HSFO supply is also strained, with lead times of 10-12 days advised.

In contrast, LSMGO is more readily available, with stable lead times of 2-5 days.

Residual fuel oil stocks in Singapore have averaged 2% higher this month compared to September, according to Enterprise Singapore. Despite this slight rise, fuel oil inventories are still below the January peak of 22.49 million bbls. Fuel oil imports have increased by 1% month-on-month, while exports have surged by 15%.

At Malaysia's Port Klang, VLSFO and LSMGO supplies are abundant, with some suppliers able to offer prompt deliveries for smaller volumes. However, HSFO availability remains limited.

East Asia

In Zhoushan, VLSFO and LSMGO availability remain normal amid low demand. Some suppliers have revised their delivery lead times for both grades from 3-5 days last week to 4-7 days now.

HSFO supply has tightened in Zhoushan due to stock shortages among several suppliers, pushing lead times from 3-5 days last week to 7-10 days.

In Northern China, the ports of Dalian and Qingdao have ample VLSFO and LSMGO supplies, though HSFO is limited in Qingdao. In Tianjin, both HSFO and LSMGO remain in short supply, but VLSFO availability is solid. Shanghai has strong LSMGO availability, but VLSFO and HSFO are scarce. Fuzhou has good supplies of both VLSFO and LSMGO, while Xiamen has restrictions on LSMGO availability, though VLSFO supply is good. In Yangpu and Guangzhou, the prompt availability of both grades remains limited.

In Hong Kong, lead times for all fuel grades remain steady at around seven days, unchanged from last week.

In Taiwanese ports like Hualien, Taichung, and Keelung, VLSFO and LSMGO supplies are stable, with prompt lead times of 2-3 days, the same as last week. In Kaohsiung, supply has improved across all grades, with lead times shortening from 4-5 days last week to 2-3 days.

In southern South Korean ports, VLSFO and LSMGO supplies have improved slightly, with lead times decreasing from around 11 days last week to 3-8 days now. However, HSFO supply remains tight, with lead times extending to about 11 days.

In western ports, VLSFO and LSMGO lead times have dropped significantly from 10-14 days last week to as little as four days. HSFO lead times remain steady at around 10 days.

High winds and waves are forecast to intermittently disrupt bunker operations at Ulsan, Onsan, and Busan between 16-20 October, and at Daesan, Taean, and Yeosu between 18-20 October.

In Japan, LSMGO supply remains strong at major ports including Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Osaka, Kobe, Sakai, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Mizushima, and Oita. VLSFO is widely available, but prompt supply is tight in Oita.

HSFO is somewhat limited for prompt deliveries in Nagoya, Yokkaichi, and Oita. In the Tokyo Bay area ports of Tokyo, Chiba, Kawasaki, and Yokohama, HSFO supply has tightened due to technical issues at refineries. One refinery has halted HSFO production until 15 October, and two others are experiencing cargo loading delays, according to a source.

Oceania

A bunker barge at Fremantle and Kwinana is in dry dock until mid-November, making VLSFO unavailable by barge, though LSMGO is still available at berth. The port of Kembla remains unaffected, as bunkering is done by truck and ex-pipe.

In New South Wales, Sydney has sufficient LSMGO, but HSFO may require longer lead times. In Victoria, Melbourne and Geelong have ample VLSFO and LSMGO, though prompt HSFO deliveries may be challenging.

In Queensland, Brisbane and Gladstone have sufficient VLSFO and LSMGO with 7-8 day lead times, but HSFO is limited in Brisbane.

In New Zealand, Tauranga and Auckland have good VLSFO supplies, with Auckland also having strong LSMGO availability.

South Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO supplies at Indian ports, including Mumbai, Kandla, Tuticorin, Cochin, and Chennai, remain limited, consistent with recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s ports of Colombo and Hambantota have good availability of all fuel grades, with short lead times of around three days.

Middle East

Availability of all grades in Fujairah is still “super tight,” with suppliers suggesting lead times of 7-10 days, consistent with last week. Khor Fakkan faces a similar situation, with recommended lead times of 7-10 days for all grades.

Jeddah port in Saudi Arabia has an abundant supply of VLSFO and LSMGO, while VLSFO is tight in nearby Djibouti, though LSMGO is more readily available there.

Omani ports, including Sohar, Salalah, Muscat, and Duqm, have ample LSMGO supplies with prompt deliveries.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 16 October, 2024

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Bunker Fuel Availability

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (5 December 2024)

Bunker report panellists include Island Oil Limited, Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Monjasa A/S and KPI OceanConnect.

Published

20 hours ago

December 6, 2024

Admin

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (5 December 2024)

The following bunker report has been provided by freight market information provider Baltic Exchange for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Note:

All values are in US$/metric ton, all-in (invoice price), delivered on board
Delivery in 7-10 days
ISO 8217:2010
IFO 380 3.5% Sulphur
IFO 380 0.5% Sulphur
DMA 0.1% Sulphur

Rotterdam – Waalhaven – Maasvlakte range
Houston – Houston Harbor
Singapore – Anchorage, under SBA Scheme
Fujairah – Offshore Anchorage Area

Submitted weekly at Close of Business UK time, on Tuesday & Thursdays

Panellists:
Island Oil Limited, Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Monjasa A/S, KPI OceanConnect

Photo credit and source: Baltic Exchange
Published: 6 December, 2024

Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (5 Dec 2024)

Low demand in Houston; bad weather disrupts bunkering in GOLA; Vibra halts VLSFO supply in Brazilian ports.

Published

20 hours ago

December 6, 2024

Admin

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:

Low demand in Houston
Bad weather disrupts bunkering in GOLA
Vibra halts VLSFO supply in Brazilian ports

North America

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in Houston. Lead times of five days are recommended for both grades in the port. Prompt HSFO availability is tight, with lead times of up to 7-8 days recommended for the grade, a trader said.

Demand has slowed down in Houston this week, a source said.

Bunkering has been suspended in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) since Wednesday due to rough weather conditions. The area was experiencing strong gale-force wind gusts of up to 32 knots on Thursday morning, making barge deliveries difficult there. A window of calm weather from Thursday evening could enable bunker operations to resume in GOLA before conditions worsen again from Friday evening.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in New York. Lead times of 2-4 days are recommended for both grades. HSFO availability has tightened in New York. Most suppliers are unable to offer HSFO for both prompt dates and dates further out.

Securing both prompt and non-prompt stems for all fuel grades is tight at the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA). Some suppliers are unable to provide an exact date for when they will have the supply available.

Prompt availability is tight in the West Coast ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. More than seven days of lead times are generally recommended to secure VLSFO and LSMGO in both locations.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is also tight in Vancouver, further up the West Coast of North America.

Caribbean and Latin America

Bunker demand has been good in Panamanian ports amid more daily transits through the Panama Canal. Availability has remained good for prompt dates in both Balboa and Cristobal.

Bunkering is expected to be suspended in the Bahamas’ Freeport from Friday onwards because of the rough weather. The area is forecast to experience strong wind gusts of up to 26 knots on Saturday, making bunkering difficult there.

Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Jamaica’s Kingston. A supplier is not able to offer stems for delivery dates before the end of December, a source says.

Bunker operations were suspended in Zona Comun on Thursday after being suspended for a day due to bad weather conditions. However, bad weather conditions are forecast intermittently over the weekend and most of next week, which could trigger more suspensions.

Bunker fuel availability has remained normal in the Brazilian ports of Santos, Salvador and Paranaguá. Several suppliers are able to offer VLSFO and LSMGO stems with a lead time of 4-6 days.

In Rio de Janeiro, VLSFO can be secured within 5-7 days of lead time. There is no availability of LSMGO in the port at the moment.

Brazilian fuel supplier Vibra has halted VLSFO offering at Vila do Conde and Belém. The company said it faced several challenges since starting bunkering operations in the region and decided to end the project to focus on other opportunities.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 6 December, 2024

Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (4 Dec 2024)

Supply improves in the ARA; HSFO tightness has eased in Las Palmas; prompt VLSFO supply is tight in Richards Bay.

Published

2 days ago

December 5, 2024

Admin

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:

Supply improves in the ARA
HSFO tightness has eased in Las Palmas
Prompt VLSFO supply is tight in Richards Bay

Northwestern Europe

Supply pressures have eased across all three grades in the ARA this week, a trader told ENGINE. Bunker availability is back to normal and lead times of 3-5 days are advised for all three grades.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks dipped by 3% in November compared to October, according to Insights Global data.

The region imported 333,000 b/d of fuel oil in November, up from 262,000 b/d imported in October, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa. The ARA imported low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) and HSFO in a 31/69 ratio in November, compared to a 45/55 ratio in October.

Kuwait (14% of the total) emerged as the region’s biggest fuel oil import source last month. The UK, Iraq and France (11% each) ranked second, while Sweden (10%) ranked third. Other import sources include the US (9%).

The ARA hub’s independent gasoil inventories - which include diesel and heating oil - decreased by 2% last month. The region imported 405,000 b/d of gasoil in November, a slight decline from 411,000 b/d of gasoil imported in October, according to Vortexa data.

Prompt bunker availability remains good in Germany’s Hamburg port, a trader told ENGINE. Lead times remain consistent with suppliers able to offer all three grades within 3-5 days.

Mediterranean

Bunker demand has spiked in the port in Gibraltar, according to a source. HSFO and LSMGO supply remains tight for prompt delivery. One trader recommends 5-7 days of lead time for HSFO, while another trader recommends lead times of up to 11 days for the grade. Lead times for LSMGO remain unchanged from last week with traders recommending around 7 days for the grade. VLSFO availability is normal with lead times of 3-5 days advised.

Gibraltar was witnessing adverse weather on Wednesday, with wind gusts of 23 knots in the port area. Five vessels were waiting to receive bunkers in Gibraltar on Wednesday, up from two on Tuesday, a source said. Wind gusts of 22 knots are forecast on Saturday and may complicate deliveries there.

In the Canary Islands’ port of Las Palmas, HSFO supply tightness has eased slightly, but the grade remains tight for prompt supply. Lead times for the grade have come down from last week's 7-10 days to 5-7 days. LSMGO availability remains tight for very prompt delivery dates, with lead times of 5-7 days advised. VLSFO availability is normal, with lead times unchanged at 3-5 days from last week.

Rough weather may trigger bunkering delays in Las Palmas on Wednesday and Thursday, a source said.

All grades remain tight for prompt supply in the Spanish port of Barcelona, a source said. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for all grades in the port.

Portugal’s Lisbon has good availability across all grades, a trader said.

Bunker demand remains muted in Mediterranean bunker hubs like Piraeus, Malta Offshore and Istanbul, a trader told ENGINE. Availability has tightened in these ports as the year-end approaches.

In Greece’s Piraeus port, availability has tightened across all three grades, a trader said. Lead times of 7-10 days are recommended for all three grades, a source said. Calm weather is forecast in Piraeus for the rest of this week, making it conducive to bunkering.

Off Malta, supply tightness has persisted since last week, a trader said. Lead times of around 7-10 days are advised for all grades, one trader said. Another trader said HSFO and VLSFO require around five days of lead time, while LSMGO is plentiful, with 2-5 days recommended. Bad weather may impact bunkering intermittently from Wednesday and will likely continue into next week, a source said.

Turkey’s Istanbul port is also experiencing tightness across all grades with traders advising lead times of around 7-10 days for full coverage from suppliers.

Africa

VLSFO availability is still tight for prompt delivery dates in South Africa’s Durban and Richards Bay, a trader said. Lead times of 7-10 days are advised by traders for full coverage.

Securing LSMGO stems for prompt deliveries remains a challenge in Durban. Lead times of 7-10 days are recommended for the grade. While demand for LSMGO in Durban remains muted, demand for VLSFO is higher in the port.

Prompt availability is good for all three grades in Mauritius’ Port Louis, a trader said.

Namibia's Walvis Bay has ample bunker supply, according to a source. Lead times of around five days are advised for all three grades. Bunker demand has been strong, particularly for VLSFO and LSMGO. HSFO demand has been relatively less there. Bad weather may trigger bunkering disruptions from Wednesday to Friday, a source said.

By Manjula Nair

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 5 December, 2024