Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Availability remains tight in Hong Kong; Singapore suppliers struggle to offer prompt deliveries; gasoil more available than fuel oils in Zhoushan.

Published

4 years ago

June 1, 2022

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:

31 May 2022

Availability remains tight in Hong Kong
Singapore suppliers struggle to offer prompt deliveries
Gasoil more available than fuel oils in Zhoushan

Singapore

Bunker fuel availability remains tight across all grades in Singapore. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and HSFO are up to two weeks, and LSMGO around 7-10 days.

Some suppliers can offer HSFO for earlier dates, but prompt VLSFO deliveries are difficult to find, sources say.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks have averaged 5% lower in May than in April, and middle distillate stocks 8% lower, according to Enterprise Singapore.

Cargo tracker Vortexa projects that Singapore’s total fuel oil imports could reach 792,000 b/d for the whole of May, which is higher than April’s 647,000 b/d. Inflows from Brazil and Russia are estimated to have surged and made them Singapore’s top two and three import sources. The UAE has retained its place as the top source.

According to the data, high sulphur fuel oil imports will make up nearly 65% of total fuel oil imports in May, while low sulphur fuel oil inflows are down.

East Asia

Bunker demand remains robust in Hong Kong and supply is not keeping up with demand, making lead times more unpredictable, sources say.

Supply dates for all fuel grades remain subject to enquiry in Hong Kong as suppliers struggle to cater to both prompt deliveries and delivery dates further out. Availability is expected to improve in the second half of June as more replenishment cargoes arrive, a source says.

Availability remains tight across all grades in South Korea’s Yeosu, Busan and Ulsan, with recommended lead times of around 7-10 days.

Supply is tight in China’s Zhoushan and Shanghai. Most suppliers are unable to offer HSFO and VLSFO for delivery dates in early June due to a lack of product, sources say.

Some suppliers in Zhoushan can offer VLSFO from 10 June onwards. LSMGO availability is slightly better with some suppliers offering prompt deliveries, sources say.

A supplier in Shanghai is out of VLSFO, adding more pressure on others’ supply, sources say.

In the Philippines’ Manila, LSMGO availability is normal and recommended lead times are around three days, a source says. Bunker demand has been sluggish.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in Port Klang. A supplier can offer limited quantities of VLSFO and LSMGO for prompt dates, sources say.

South Asia

Bunker fuel availability in the Indian ports of Mumbai and Kochi is normal. Some suppliers can offer prompt deliveries of VLSFO and LSMGO, a source says.

In the Pakistani ports of Karachi and Qasim, availability is normal for VLSFO and LSMGO. Only one local refinery is currently producing VLSFO while other refineries could start producing the grade in the coming months, a trader says.

In Sri Lanka’s Colombo, availability is slightly tight across all grades. A supplier has low stocks of VLSFO and LSMGO. Another supplier can offer both grades, but prompt deliveries are made difficult by a busy barge schedule, sources say.

HSFO availability is normal as a supplier has recently received a replenishment cargo, a source says. Port congestion has eased in Colombo to allow for smooth operations.

Middle East

In Fujairah, availability of HSFO is tight for prompt deliveries and recommended lead times are around 10 days. VLSFO and LSMGO grades have shorter lead times of seven days.

Prompt deliveries remain difficult to find in Fujairah forcing some buyers to look out for bunker options in other UAE ports such as Dubai, a source says.

In Iraqi Basra, availability remains normal for VLSFO and LSMGO, sources say. A supplier can offer some prompt deliveries.

VLSFO availability in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah is normal, while LSMGO is slightly tighter, sources say.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in the Omani ports of Duqm and Sohar. A supplier can offer prompt deliveries for VLSFO and LSMGO.

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 1 June, 2022

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

22 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

22 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

22 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