Connect with us

Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Fujairah bunkering inches closer to normal operation; bunker demand sluggish in China’s bunker hub – Zhoushan; Singapore’s Hi5 spread narrows further.

Admin

Published

on

post 49344

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:

16 August 2022

  • Fujairah bunkering inches closer to normal operation
  • Bunker demand sluggish in China’s bunker hub – Zhoushan
  • Singapore’s Hi5 spread narrows further

 

Singapore

VLSFO and HSFO supply remains “super tight” for prompt dates in Singapore. Recommended lead times are around 9-12 days.

Bunker demand has been normal in Singapore so far this week. A series of VLSFO and LSMGO stems were fixed at the beginning of the week, while HSFO fixtures have been fewer. 

Singapore’s residual fuel oil inventories have been drawn for five consecutive weeks amid lower imports and have averaged 12% lower so far this month than in July, while its middle distillate stocks are up by 3% on the month, according to Enterprise Singapore.

Tightening HSFO availability prospects and a steep decline in Singapore’s VLSFO price in recent weeks have contributed to narrow the port’s Hi5 spread to $220/mt, which is less than half its peak above $570/mt around mid-July.

LSMGO remains more readily available, and its lead times remain steady at 4-6 days.

 

East Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in China’s Zhoushan and Shanghai. Prices of the two grades in Zhoushan have come under pressure in recent weeks due to ample stocks in the port and weak demand, sources say.

Securing HSFO for prompt dates in Zhoushan and Shanghai is slightly difficult as fewer suppliers offer the grade, sources say.

Suppliers in Zhoushan struggled to deliver stems outside of the port’s outer limit (OPL) and Tiaozhoumen anchorage on Tuesday due to rough weather conditions, sources say.

Availability is normal across HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO grades in Hong Kong as suppliers have ample stocks. Recommended lead times are around 4-5 days.

Bunker fuel availability is normal across all grades in South Korea’s Busan. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO is around five days.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight for prompt dates in Vietnamese ports. A supplier can offer VLSFO for prompt dates but on cash in advance basis, sources say.

LSMGO availability is normal in Philippines’ Manila. A supplier can offer deliveries for prompt dates.

 

South Asia

Availability of LSMGO and VLSFO remains normal in India’s Mumbai. Prompt VLSFO supply is tight in Mundra on India’s northwest coast and requires around six days of lead time, while HSFO has a shorter lead time of 3-4 days.

VLSFO supply is almost out of stock in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada on India’s east coast, where a supplier expects to receive replenishment stock by next week. LSMGO is more readily available.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in Colombo and Trincomalee, and some suppliers can offer VLSFO and LSMGO for prompt dates, sources say. HSFO availability is normal, but typically requires at least 4-5 days of lead time as the grade is supplied by a smaller number of suppliers.

 

Middle East

Bunker operations in Fujairah have nearly normalised after the port’s terminals were hit with heavy flooding in late July. Barge loading delays and congestion have come down in Fujairah as more terminals have resumed normal operations, sources say

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Fujairah for prompt dates. Some suppliers can offer VLSFO for prompt dates, but these are typically priced higher. Prompt stems have typically been priced $50-55/mt higher than for dates further out, while in some cases premiums can go even higher, a source says.

Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO are around six days. HSFO availability is normal, and some suppliers can offer limited quantities for prompt dates. 

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in Oman’s Sohar. Some suppliers resumed VLSFO offers from last week after Sohar’s sole barge was able to load the fuel from Fujairah, sources say.  

VLSFO availability is normal in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah, while LSMGO is said to be tight, according to sources.

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 17 August, 2022

Continue Reading

Technology

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform, with Ocean Network Express as its first buyer-side integration partner.

Admin

Published

on

By

Singapore: Ofiniti, ONE trial direct platform integration to streamline bunker workflows

Ofiniti, the digital platform for maritime fuel operations, on Tuesday (21 July) said it has started a trial in Singapore, integrating FuelBoss directly with a bunker buyer’s own platform.

The company announced Singapore-headquartered container shipping firm Ocean Network Express (ONE) as its first buyer-side integration partner. 

“It is no coincidence we start in Singapore, as the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) remains at the forefront of digitalisation of all things bunkering,” the company said in a social media post.

In November 2023, MPA launched its digital bunkering platform, becoming the world’s first port to implement e-BDN. 

Ofiniti said every bunker delivery still runs on retyped data. 

“The buyer’s system says one thing, the supplier says another, and someone reconciles the gap by email, phone, or PDF. On every stem,” the company said. 

“We built FuelBoss to change this reality.”

With the integration, operational data now flows without manual re-entry, fewer reconciliation errors and faster processing and data, instead of documents, are readily available for procurement and claims workflows. 

“One connection will not transform the industry on its own, but digitalisation gets built one integration at a time. We are grateful to ONE for being willing to go first,” Ofiniti added.

Manifold Times previously reported ONE completing its successful trial of the electronic Bunker Delivery Note (e-BDN) with Shell. 

The e-BDN trial, using the digital bunkering solution developed by Angsana Technology, was conducted on 9 September 2023 at the Port of Singapore, with support from the MPA.

In March 2025, Ofiniti acquired Singapore-based Angsana Technology, with the entire Angsana team joining Ofiniti as part of the acquisition.

Related: MPA Chief Executive: Port of Singapore begins digital bunkering initiative today
Related: Singapore set to become first port in the world to debut electronic bunker delivery notes
Related: ONE completes e-BDN adoption trial with Shell in Port of Singapore
Related: Ofiniti acquires Singapore-based Angsana Technology to advance digital bunkering solutions

 

Photo credit: Ofiniti
Published: 22 July, 2026

Continue Reading

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.

Admin

Published

on

By

RESIZED Sora Shimazaki on Pexels

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.

Related: Singapore: Hin Leong Founder OK Lim gets jail term slashed to 13.5 years

 

Photo credit: Sora Shimazaki
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

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.

Admin

Published

on

By

RESIZED Drew Beamer

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.

Related: Singapore: Director declares Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping’s inability to continue business
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping in court over DBS Bank bunker tanker loan
Related: Singapore: Bunker tanker “Coastal Neptune” arrested
Related: Heng Tong Fuels & Shipping, Coastal Logistics tankers enter S&P market

 

Photo credit: Drew Beamer
Published: 21 July, 2026

Continue Reading

Trending