Connect with us

Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Prompt VLSFO and HSFO still tight in Singapore; sluggish demand in Zhoushan; several East Asian ports face weather disruptions.

Admin

Published

on

ENGINE East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

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:

7 March, 2023

  • Prompt VLSFO and HSFO still tight in Singapore
  • Sluggish demand in Zhoushan
  • Several East Asian ports face weather disruptions

Singapore

Singapore has been witnessing average demand so far this week. Availability of VLSFO and HSFO is getting tighter in the port. Some suppliers have limited stocks as they are obligated to supply bunkers to meet term contracts. Lead times of 5-8 days are recommended for VLSFO - almost same as last week. HSFO lead times have increased from 6-8 days last week, to 7-10 days now.

Availability of LSMGO remains very good in the port, with lead times unchanged at 2-3 days.

Residual fuel oil stocks in Singapore averaged 4% higher in February than in January, the latest data from Enterprise Singapore shows. The stock build was supported by a 1% uptick in net fuel oil imports.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s middle distillate stocks declined by 11% in February.

East Asia

Prompt availability of VLSFO remains slightly tight in Zhoushan as most suppliers are running low on stocks and replenishment cargoes have been delayed. But a lack of demand has prevented further tightening, a source says.

VLSFO and LSMGO stems require 3-5 days of lead time in the port, and HSFO needs 5-7 days. Lead times are unchanged from last week across all grades in Zhoushan.

Hong Kong continues to grapple with sluggish demand, a source says. Availability of all grades is normal to tight, with lead times of around seven days recommended - up from 5-6 days previously.

Strong wind gusts of 19-27 knots and waves of almost a metre are forecast to hit Hong Kong on 12 March, which might disrupt bunkering.

Bad weather is forecast intermittently in the South Korean ports of Ulsan, Onsan, Daesan, Taean and Yeosu between 9-12 March, which might impact bunker operations.

Demand has been average across South Korean ports so far this week. Availability is very tight for all grades in the country's southern ports as most suppliers are running low on stocks, a source says. Lead times in southern ports vary widely between 5-12 days - almost the same as last week's 3-11 days.

Meanwhile, availability across all grades has improved in western South Korean ports, with much shorter lead times of 4-5 days recommended, down from 3-11 days previously.

Both the Philippine port of Subic Bay and the Thai port of Leam Chabang are forecast experience adverse weather conditions on 14 March, which might hamper bunkering.

The Vietnamese port of Ho Chi Minh City faces rough conditions and potential bunker suspensions throughout this week, and the northern Vietnamese port of Hai Phong on 12 March.

South Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO availability remains good in India's Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Kandla, with short lead times of 2-3 days.

Cochin and Chennai on the southern coast of India also have good availability, while VLSFO and LSMGO remain subject to enquiry in Tuticorin and Haldia. A supplier in Paradip is almost out of VLSFO.

A supplier can offer both VLSFO and LSMGO in the Sri Lankan port of Colombo, with lead times of around five days recommended.

Middle East

Bunker availability remains under pressure for all grades in Fujairah, while demand has been weak, a source says. VLSFO and LSMGO stems require around 10-11 days in the UAE port, which is up from nine days last week. But lead times for HSFO are down from about 12 days to eight days now.

While LSMGO remains readily available in Sharjah, VLSFO has been running low, a source says.

Prompt dates are readily available for LSMGO in the Omani ports of Muscat, Salalah, Sohar and Duqm.

By Tuhin Roy

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 8 March, 2023

Continue Reading

Incident

Singapore: Bunker spill leads to checks on all fuel pipes at other Police Coast Guard bases

Police said fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February.

Admin

Published

on

By

RESIZED bunker tanker singapore

The recent oil leak incident at Police Coast Guard (PCG) Brani Regional Base has prompted checks on all fuel pipes at PCG’s three other bases for leaks, according to The Straits Times on Monday (10 February). 

Responding to queries from the local news provider, the police said all fuel pipes at Brani Regional Base were inspected on 6 February while fuel pipes at the other three bases at Loyang, Lim Chu Kang and Gul are also being checked with inspections expected to be wrapped up on 10 February. 

The police also said that a preliminary assessment on the cause of the leak might be due to micro cracks in a damaged fuel pipe as a result of repeated twisting of the pipe due to the movement of the pontoons caused by tidal changes.

On 6 February, Singapore authorities confirmed that a diesel oil leak was discovered at the Brani Regional Base on 5 February, at around 11.40am (Singapore Time). 

According to a joint statement by Singapore Police Force, Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) and National Environment Agency (NEA), about 23 metric tonnes had leaked from a damaged shore fuel hose used to refuel patrol craft at Selat Sengkir. 

The leak was eventually isolated at about 3.40pm and there were no oil slicks observed.

Related: Singapore confirms bunker spill from damaged shore fuel hose at Brani Regional Base

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 11 February, 2025

Continue Reading

Biofuel

NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Firm said it has started a biofuel test run on Noshiro Maru, operated by Tohoku Electric Power, marking the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility firm.

Admin

Published

on

By

NYK conducts first Japan bio bunker fuel trial on coal carrier for domestic power utility firm

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Monday (10 February) said it has started a biofuel test run on its coal carrier Noshiro Maru, which is operated by Tohoku Electric Power on 9 February.

This is the first time in Japan that a coal carrier has been used to test biofuel for a domestic power utility company. Mitsubishi Corporation Energy in the Keihin area facilitated the supply of biofuel for the vessel.

Biofuels are made from organic resources (biomass) of biological origin, such as agricultural residues and waste cooking oil, and are considered to produce virtually zero carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions when combusted.

“Since they can be used in heavy-oil-powered ship engines, which are common on large merchant ships, biofuels are considered a key means of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transition period from heavy oil to zero-emission fuels,” NYK said. 

“Using biofuel to reduce GHG emissions during sea navigation also contributes to reducing Scope 3 GHG emissions generated by transporting customers’ cargo.”

NYK added it will continue to focus on introducing biofuels and other next-generation fuels, and will contribute to reducing GHG emissions in our customers' supply chains while promoting decarbonisation in marine transport.

 

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 11 February, 2025

Continue Reading

Biofuel

IBIA welcomes IMO move to draft guidance change on carriage of bio bunker fuels

IBIA welcomed agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on PPR 12 to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships.

Admin

Published

on

By

RESIZED IBIA logo

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) on Monday (10 February) said it submitted a document to IMO on the carriage of biofuels for supply to a ship for use as fuel oil on board that ship in November 2023.

This highlighted that as conventional bunker vessels were limited in carrying fuel oil of no more than 25% biofuel it presented a potential impediment to the global adoption of biofuels as fuel oil for ships and so to the ambition for the decarbonization of international shipping in the short term, as set out in the 2023 IMO GHG Strategy.

“IBIA therefore welcomes the agreement by IMO’s Sub Committee on Pollution Prevention and Response (PPR 12) to draft Interim Guidance on the carriage of blends of biofuels and MARPOL Annex I cargoes by conventional bunker ships,” it said on its website. 

The guidance allows conventional bunker ships certified for carriage of oil fuels under MARPOL Annex I to transport blends of not more than 30% by volume of biofuel, as long as all residues or tank washings are discharged ashore, unless the oil discharge monitoring equipment (ODME) is approved for the biofuel blend(s) being shipped. 

“The Interim Guidance is expected to be approved by IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 83) in April,” IBIA added. 

“IBIA’s membership represents stakeholders from across the global marine fuel value chain, and being able to draw on this technically strong and credible resource will, in its role of having consultative status to the IMO, mean that IBIA will continue to bring important matters to the attention of the wider IMO membership for due consideration.”

 

Photo credit: International Bunker Industry Association
Published: 11 February, 2025

Continue Reading
Advertisement
  • Aderco advert 400x330 1
  • Zhoushan Bunker
  • Sea Trader & Sea Splendor
  • RE 05 Lighthouse GIF
  • SBF2
  • EMF banner 400x330 slogan
  • Consort advertisement v2
  • v4Helmsman Gif Banner 01

OUR INDUSTRY PARTNERS

  • E MARINE LOGO
  • SEAOIL 3+5 GIF
  • HL 2022 adv v1
  • Triton Bunkering advertisement v2
  • Singfar advertisement final


  • Mokara Final
  • PSP Marine logo
  • Victory Logo
  • endress
  • 300 300
  • Synergy Asia Bunkering logo MT
  • Auramarine 01
  • Innospec logo v6
  • MFA logo v2
  • metcore
  • LabTechnic
  • VPS 2021 advertisement
  • 400x330 v2 copy
  • Headway Manifold
  • Advert Shipping Manifold resized1

Trending