Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Bad weather has halted bunkering in Zhoushan and Yellow Sea ports for several days, while VLSFO lead times have come down in Singapore and Fujairah this week.

Published

5 years ago

November 10, 2021

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:

9 November, 2021

Bad weather has halted bunkering in Zhoushan and Yellow Sea ports for several days, while VLSFO lead times have come down in Singapore and Fujairah this week.

Bunkering has resumed in Shanghai, after a storm halted bunker operation in ports along China’s eastern and northern coast from last Friday.

Shanghai has good availability of VLSFO and LSMGO with lead times standing at 2-3 days, while HSFO380 is more difficult to procure in the Chinese port.

Meanwhile, Ningbo-Zhoushan is still experiencing strong winds and bunkering remains suspended. After gale in Zhoushan on Monday, winds calmed some on Tuesday, but more gale-force winds are forecast for Wednesday.

Weather conditions are forecast to calm in Zhoushan from Thursday, to allow suppliers to start clearing backlogs from Friday. Long vessel queues are expected.

A supplier has replenished its HSFO380 stocks in Zhoushan, which could bolster availability in the port once the weather has calmed and suppliers catch up with backlogged orders.

Several Yellow Sea ports including Dalian, Qingdao, Rizhao and Lanshan have also been hit by rough weather. Bunker supply operations have therefore been halted and expected to resume from Thursday onwards.

The same storm has also affected ports in South Korea, but without any bunker suspensions. While outer anchorage bunkering is possible, suppliers are advising vessels to move into inner anchorages to ensure safe delivery.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil inventories have added 2% amid higher net imports and stood at 22.32 million bbls last week, according to Enterprise Singapore data.

Singapore’s bunker market continues to face delivery challenges, with tight barge schedules and loading congestion reducing availability of prompt product.

VLSFO now requires up to 12 days ahead in the bunkering hub, which is two days shorter than last week, but still the longest among East of Suez ports. LSMGO is slightly more available at 6-8 days, while lead times for HSFO380 are steady on the week at 10-12 days.

Fujairah’s bunker market continues to be tight for all three fuel grades, although lead times have come down some on the week. VLSFO and LSMGO require up to six days of lead time in the UAE bunkering hub, compared to five days of lead time for HSFO380.

At the same time, Fujairah’s fuel oil stocks shrunk by 4.2% to 7.39 million bbls in the week to 1 November, data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) and S&P Global Platts showed last week.

Bunker fuel availability remains tight in Japan. Lead times of up to 12 days are advised for VLSFO and HSFO380 stems in Tokyo Bay. Domestically produced fuel oil is being diverted to the power sector, which has increased its appetite amid rising gas prices and the winter onset, according to a source. The waiting time for LSMGO is shorter.

Fuel availability is also tight in Japan’s western ports since some refineries are under maintenance, and fuel oil going to power generation and heating.

Photo credit: ENGINE
Published: 10 November, 2021

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.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

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.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

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.

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

LNG Bunkering

PIL’s LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on LNG and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Published

17 hours ago

July 21, 2026

Admin

PIL's LNG dual-fuel boxship “Kota Elok” arrives in Singapore on maiden call

Singapore-based Pacific International Lines Pte Ltd on Monday (20 July) said its first 13,000 TEU LNG dual-fuel container vessel, Kota Elok, recently made her maiden call to Singapore on 15 July.

As the first of 13 new 13,000 TEU vessels joining its fleet, Kota Elok is equipped to operate on liquefied natural gas (LNG) and low-sulphur fuel oil that helps reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

The vessel also incorporated energy-saving features and digital technologies to reduce fuel consumption and enhance operational performance, as well as a bow windshield to improve aerodynamics, contributing to improved fuel efficiency and lower emissions over the course of long-haul voyages.

“Following Singapore, Kota Elok will continue her voyage on our East Coast Service 1 (ES1) route to South America, calling at ports in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina before returning to Asia,” the company said in a social media post.

Kota Elok also became PIL’s first vessel to receive Lloyd’s Register certification for compliance with the IACS UR E26 and UR E27 cyber security requirements.

Developed by the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), UR E26 and UR E27 are mandatory cyber resilience requirements for newbuild vessels contracted from 1 July 2024.

Photo credit: Pacific International Lines
Published: 21 July, 2026