Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Strong demand and stocks drawn in Singapore; OPL bunkering still suspended in Zhoushan; mostly good availability in Indian ports.

Published

4 years ago

December 2, 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:

30 November 2022

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Strong demand and stocks drawn in Singapore
OPL bunkering still suspended in Zhoushan
Mostly good availability in Indian ports

Singapore

Singapore has been witnessing robust VLSFO demand lately, which has contributed to tighten availability of the grade in the port, with lead times now stretching to almost two weeks ahead. Recommended lead times for HSFO are shorter at 7-9 days, and shortest for LSMGO at 5-7 days.

Residual fuel oil stocks in Singapore have averaged 5% lower so far in November than in October, according to Enterprise Singapore. This has brought the stocks further below their five-year average position for the time of the year. The stock draw has come despite a 13% increase in net imports this month, and could be a sign of strong demand for fuel oil.

East Asia

Bunker operations in Zhoushan’s outer port limits have been suspended amid bad weather since Sunday, putting a strain on the port’s supply capacity. Bunkering might resume on 2 December, when calmer weather is forecast, a source says.

The port had been pricing VLSFO at elevated levels to other major Asian hubs since the beginning of November, but its price recently flipped to a discount to Singapore. The Chinese bunkering hub has been seeing sluggish bunker demand of late, a source says.

Recommended lead times for both VLSFO and LSMGO in Zhoushan are 2-3 days, and a longer seven days are advised for HSFO.

Weather-induced disruptions continue to hamper bunker operations across the southern ports of South Korea, sources say. Recommended lead times for all grades for both southern and western South Korean ports are 4-5 days, but the deliveries in the southern ports might be delayed due to bad weather.

Availability remains okay across all grades in Hong Kong with lead times of seven days. Some suppliers have been grappling with tight barge schedules, a source says.

South Asia

VLSFO availability in India’s Mumbai remains steady with lead times of 2-3 days advised.

Availability of VLSFO is good in Mundra on India’s northwest coast and requires lead times of 2-3 days. Recommended lead times for VLSFO delivery in Kandla are 2-3 days.

While VLSFO availability is good in Cochin and Chennai on India’s southern coast, VLSFO availability is subject to inquiry in nearby Tuticorin.

Lead times of 2-3 days for VLSFO are recommended in Visakhapatnam on the east coast.

Suppliers in Paradip on India’s east coast have almost run out of VLSFO. VLSFO can be delivered in Haldia with recommended lead times of 2-3 days.

Availability across all grades remains good in the Sri Lankan port of Colombo with lead times of six days recommend.

Middle East

Suppliers in Fujairah continue to grapple with weak demand so far this month. A source says that most suppliers and buyers are holding back transactions until the G7 price cap on Russian oil comes into effect to answer more questions around future supply-demand dynamics. This has contributed to weaken in the Fujairah bunker market.

Recommended lead times for both VLSFO and LSMGO in Fujairah are similar at around nine days, and HSFO requires shorter lead times of seven days.

LSMGO remains readily available in the Omani ports of Duqm and Sohar, with short lead times of around two days possible.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 2 December, 2022

Legal

Shell Singapore charged over Pulau Bukom oil leaks, reporting delays

Shell faces four charges under Singapore’s Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act over two 2024 oil discharge incidents at its Pulau Bukom facility.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

2 MPA craft (left) supporting Shell craft in the clean up operations of the oil sheens taken on 28 Dec 9am

Shell Singapore has been charged over two incidents in 2024 involving oily mixtures discharged into Singapore waters from its facilities at Pulau Bukom, according to media reports on Tuesday (22 September).

The company faces four charges under the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea Act, including allegations that it failed to report the discharges to the port master immediately.

The first incident occurred on 20 October 2024, when approximately 40 metric tonnes (mt) of oily mixture was discharged through a hole in a pipeline at the Shell Singapore Energy and Chemicals Park at about 8am.

Shell is accused of reporting the incident to the port master at about 12.55pm, several hours after the discharge occurred.

The second incident took place between 26 and 28 December 2024. An estimated 485kg to 956kg of oil mixture was discharged into Singapore waters from the same facility.

Shell is accused of failing to report the incident immediately, with notification to the port master made at about 11.50am on 26 December 2024, according to the charges.

Singapore’s pollution-prevention regulations require occupiers of such facilities to report oil or oily-mixture discharges into Singapore waters “without delay and to the fullest extent possible”.

Shell’s representative requested an eight-week adjournment at the 22 September hearing, citing the need to obtain internal instructions, appoint counsel and locate historical records. The company said the business associated with the incidents had been divested in 2025.

The case was adjourned to October. Shell is also facing prosecution by Singapore’s National Environment Agency over the same incidents.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 25 September, 2026

Incident

MPA probes Singapore Strait collision involving fishing vessel, bulk carrier

MPA says there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel in the incident involving China-registered fishing vessel “Lu Qing Yuan Yu” and Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux” .

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

Panama-registered bulk carrier “First Margaux”

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (22 September) said it is investigating the incident involving the China-registered fishing vessel Lu Qing Yuan Yu and the Panama-registered bulk carrier First Margaux in the Singapore Strait on 17 September.

MPA said there were no reported injuries among the crew of either vessel or pollution arising from the incident and navigational traffic was not affected.

Videos circulating on social media showed the bulk carrier colliding with the fishing vessel.

“The fishing vessel took on water during the incident but remained afloat and stable, with the crew taking measures to manage the situation onboard,” MPA said.

The vessel was subsequently towed to Raffles Reserved Anchorage for assessment.

Essential crew remained onboard to support the tow, while the Singapore Civil Defence Force supported the transfer of other crew to shore.

MPA added it also issued navigational safety broadcasts to keep other vessels clear of the tow and escorted the vessel into port with a MPA craft.

Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Arnold Pohen
Published: 25 September, 2026

Mass Flowmeter

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Bunker barge “Kingston Trader” is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

Published

1 day ago

September 25, 2026

Admin

TFG Marine deploys first MFM-equipped bunker barge in Jamaica

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Thursday (24 September) said its bunker barge Kingston Trader is currently on its way to Jamaica following the successful installation of a Coriolis mass flow meter (MFM) system, certified to ISO 22192.

The company said the latest installation brings the proportion of TFG Marine’s fleet equipped with MFMs to approximately 88%, marking another step in the continued rollout of this technology across its global bunkering operations.

“The barge will operate in Jamaica through our local partnership with Scott Petroleum, becoming the first bunkering vessel in the region equipped with this technology and bringing greater accuracy, transparency and assurance to fuel measurement for customers across the Caribbean,” TFG Marine said in a social media post.

“Together with Scott Petroleum, we look forward to working collaboratively with the Maritime Authority of Jamaica, the The Port Authority of Jamaica, Petrojam Limited and other stakeholders to share our experience of MFM technology, explore its wider benefits and support the continued development of bunkering standards across the region.”

Manifold Times previously reported TFG Marine continuing to expand MFM technology across its US Gulf Coast bunker fleet with Buffalo B414 and Buffalo B304 being fitted with the equipment.

Last year, TFG Marine announced it reached a key milestone in its global digitalisation programme with the installation of an ISO 22192-compliant MFM on the Buffalo 404, a barge on time charter from American bunker barge company Buffalo Marine Service Inc.

The installation was part of TFG Marine’s wider strategy to equip close to 90% of its global bunkering fleet with MFMs by 2026 as a commitment towards improving data integrity, streamlining operations and strengthening trust in marine fuel transactions.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 25 September, 2026