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ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

VLSFO supply continues to be tight in Singapore, keeping its price at slight premiums over other key ports like Zhoushan and Fujairah.

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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:

5 January, 2022

  • Fuel oils tight in key ports
  • Fujairah hit by rough weather
  • China ups low sulphur fuel oil quotas

VLSFO supply continues to be tight in Singapore, keeping its price at slight premiums over other key ports like Zhoushan and Fujairah.

The earliest delivery date for VLSFO and HSFO380 stems in Singapore is 10-12 days ahead, compared to 5-6 days for the more ample LSMGO grade. HSFO380 continues to be tight as fewer suppliers offer it, while VLSFO supply has been squeezed partly as a result of fewer cargo inflows.

Singapore’s net fuel oil imports – which include both high and low sulphur grades – fell by 30% on the month in December and contributed to draw stock levels down to their lowest in three months, Enterprise Singapore data showed last week.

Gale-force winds hit Fujairah from the west on Tuesday, delaying some bunker operations and incoming cargo replenishments. The winds are set to normalise briefly on Wednesday before intensifying towards a peak of 37 knots on Thursday.

Bunker fuel availability was already tight in the UAE port, especially HSFO380. The earliest delivery date for the high sulphur grade is about 12 days ahead, compared to nine days for VLSFO and LSMGO stems.

A shortage of VLSFO cargo volumes in Fujairah has made barge loading schedules more unpredictable, sources say. Most suppliers are unwilling to commit to bigger stems, pushing up price premiums for larger quantities.

In Zhoushan, bunker fuel availability is mixed. VLSFO and HSFO380 grades are tight with suggested lead times of up to seven days. LSMGO availability is normal and prompt product is readily available.

Meanwhile, restrictions on container handling have been implemented in in Zhoushan’s adjoining port of Ningbo after a rise in Covid-19 cases, a source says.

China’s Ministry of Commerce has allocated 30% more low sulphur fuel oil for export in the first allotment of quotas for this year than it did last year, Reuters reports. The fuel will mostly end up in Zhoushan and other Chinese bunker ports and be sold for “export” as duty-free bonded bunkers.

Five suppliers were awarded quotas, with state-run Sinopec taking over 60% of the total. China recently allowed suppliers in Guangzhou and Shenzhen to supply bonded bunker fuels in a move to grow them as more competitively priced bunker ports – as it has with Zhoushan in recent years.

All fuel grades remain tight in South Korean ports. The earliest delivery date for VLSFO in the country’s southern Busan, Ulsan and Yeosu ports has been pushed back to 11-13 days out.

 

Photo credit: ENGINE
Published: 5 January, 2022

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Business

Hong Kong-based bunker trading firm E-Marine expands ops with new Shanghai branch office

The HONG KONG E-MARINE SHANGHAI BRANCH will assist E-Marine’s head office in handling bunker trading operations and increase overall bonded bunker trading volumes at China.

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E Marine Shanghai office front

Hong Kong-based marine fuel and lubricant trading company Hongkong E-Marine Supply Service Corporation Limited (E-Marine) on April 15 launched a branch office in Shanghai, learned Manifold Times.

The company HONG KONG E-MARINE SHANGHAI BRANCH will assist the head office in handling bunker trading operations and increase overall bonded bunker trading volumes at China, Managing Director Darcy Wang told the bunkering publication.

“The Shanghai office serves as our China business support and coordination centre. It enables us to stay close to our customers, suppliers and business partners, while also providing access to a deep pool of industry talent,” he shared.

This development is in line the target to significantly increase our annual bonded bunkering portfolio in China to 1 million metric tonnes (mt) by 2030.

“As we continue to expand our presence in China, we welcome capable and motivated individuals who share our long-term vision to join our Shanghai office.”

E-Marine’s new Shanghai office address is as follows:

Shanghai Xuhui District
Chang Ning Road No.889
Shanghai Yang Guang Bin Jiang Center
Unit 22-13

Candidates interested in growing together with E-Marine are invited to send their CV or profile to [email protected].

E Marine Shanghai office tea cups

Related: E-Marine raising China bonded bunker trading portfolio to 1 million mt by 2030, seeks talents
RelatedHong Kong-based bunker trading firm E-Marine obtains ISCC EU certification
RelatedHong Kong-based bunker trading firm E-Marine introduces Global Sales & Procurement Manager
RelatedHong Kong-based bunker trading firm E-Marine expands operations with Singapore branch
RelatedBunker and lube trading firm Hongkong E-Marine Supply Service to open Singapore branch by June

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 4 June 2026

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Biofuel

BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

Bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier “Berge Lyngor”, which was bunkered in Singapore in early May.

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BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (3 June) said they have blended biofuels from two distinct feedstocks—used cooking oil and waste animal fats —and introduced the lower-emissions marine fuel into a BHP-chartered bulk carrier as part of a pilot project.

The bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk, transporting BHP iron ore from Western Australia to China. When run on bio-blend, the vessel has the potential to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 79 per cent per voyage compared to sailing on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).

The vessel bunkered in Singapore in early May with a B100 bio-blend comprising 50 percent tallow-derived biodiesel, sourced and supplied by HAMR Energy, and 50 per cent used cooking oil (UCOME) supplied by Mitsui & Co Energy Trading Singapore (METS).

Mitsui also blended the fuel and Dan-Bunkering coordinated and executed the bunkering operation, which was performed by Global Energy’s barge MT Maple.

The BHP and GCMD pilot will assess how biofuels from multiple feedstocks can be blended, handled, and introduced under real-world operating conditions using existing used cooking oil bunkering infrastructure.

At the same time, insights from this pilot will help identify solutions to challenges related to fuel quality, handling, traceability, and onboard vessel performance.

Biofuels for global shipping today rely heavily on used cooking oil – a feedstock whose availability is approaching its projected limits. Biofuel from waste animal fats presents a promising option to expand the supply of lower-emissions marine fuels.

The outcomes of the pilot are expected to shed light on the practical steps to integrate biofuel blends from different feedstocks into existing supply chains. The diversity of biofuels will provide shipowners and operators with greater flexibility to optimise fuel procurement based on cost, availability, and lifecycle emissions performance.

Biofuels derived from different feedstocks can exhibit varying properties that may impact operations, including potential corrosion from oxidation, fuel system clogging caused by wax formation, which this pilot aims to assess.

The pilot will trace and verify the biofuel blend’s integrity aimed at bolstering confidence in emissions reductions reporting. The pilot will also provide insights into how robust tracing can support future marine fuel supply chains where biofuels from multiple feedstocks with varying lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions footprints are blended together.

This project is co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT).

 

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 3 June, 2026

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Biofuel

NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices.

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NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Tuesday (2 June) said it has commenced a one-year long-term trial involving the continuous use of 100% biofuel (B100) on an NYK-operated car carrier. 

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices. High-purity biofuels such as B100 are known to be susceptible to degradation from oxygen, light, and heat, raising concerns about the stability of such fuels during long-term use.

In this trial, the biofuel primarily comprises FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) derived from used cooking oil and similar feedstocks.

The initiative is designed to evaluate the fuel’s effects on the vessel’s equipment and verify operational safety under real-world conditions. 

Through this effort, NYK seeks to accumulate technical expertise that will support the broader use of high-purity biofuels and further accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

NYK has been advancing the use of biofuels through various initiatives. In 2024, the company conducted a trial using biofuel blend B24 and subsequently expanded practical usage to B30. However, the company said there remains limited global experience with the long-term continuous use of B100.

“By collecting long-term operational data through this trial, NYK aims to accumulate valuable technical insights to support both the safe operation of vessels and the wider adoption of high-purity biofuels,” it said. 

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 3 June, 2026

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