Business

ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Availability tight for VLSFO and HSFO in Singapore; bunker demand good in Hong Kong; several East of Suez ports face weather disruptions.

Published

3 years ago

May 24, 2023

Admin

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:

23 May 2023

Availability tight for VLSFO and HSFO in Singapore
Bunker demand good in Hong Kong
Several East of Suez ports face weather disruptions

Singapore

A source says that “demand started slow” in Singapore this week but “then picked up.” Availability remains tight for VLSFO and HSFO in the port, with lead times of 8-9 days and 6-10 days recommended, respectively. This is slightly down from 8-12 days last week.

Lead times for LSMGO have also increased marginally from 4-6 days last week to 5-7 days now.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks have averaged 16% lower so far in May than across April, according to Enterprise Singapore. The port’s residual fuel oil stocks have slumped to their lowest average level since last August, partly due to less fuel oil imports this month. Singapore’s fuel oil imports have declined by a significant 19% so far this month and are at their lowest level in a year.

The port’s middle distillate stocks have fallen by 11% so far this month and have not been drawn further down since last December.

East Asia

Availability of VLSFO has improved in Zhoushan, with lead times shortening from 5-7 days last week to 3-5 days this week. LSMGO stems also require 3-5 days – virtually unchanged from last week. But lead times for HSFO have increased slightly from 3-5 days last week to 4-7 days.

Bunker deliveries have resumed at Zhoushan’s Tiaozhoumen and Xiazhimen anchorages this morning after being halted by bad weather since Sunday, a source says. But strong wind gusts of 23-31 knots are forecast between 26-28 May, which could disrupt operations again. The Chinese bunkering hub has been grappling with weather disruptions for quite some time now, which has slowed down bunkering there, a source says.

Prompt availability across all grades is tight in Hong Kong, as barge availability has come under pressure from high demand, a source says. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO grades are 4-7 days, while lead times for HSFO are around seven days.

VLSFO availability has gotten very tight in South Korean ports, with lead times stretching to two weeks out. But one supplier can offer the grade at shorter lead times of around four days, a source says.

Meanwhile, availability of LSMGO and HSFO is normal in South Korean ports, with lead times of 4-5 days recommended.

Bad weather is forecast in the South Korean ports of Ulsan, Onsan, Busan, Daesan, Taean and Yeosu between 26-28 May, which could hamper operations.

Adverse weather conditions are also anticipated to disrupt bunker deliveries in the Philippine port of Subic Bay and the Vietnamese port of Ho Chi Minh on 30 May, and the Kiwi port of Tauranga between 28-29 May.

South Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered with around 2-3 days of lead time in several Indian ports, including Kandla on the northwest coast and Cochin on the southern coast.

Availability of both grades is also good in Visakhapatnam on the southwestern coast and Chennai on the southern coast, with lead times of around five days advised.

Meanwhile, VLSFO and LSMGO remain subject to availability in Mumbai, Tuticorin and Haldia.

Rough weather between 24-25 May is expected to disrupt bunkering operations in India’s west coast ports of Sikka and Kandla and in the southwestern port of Visakhapatnam.

Middle East

All bunker fuel grades are readily available in Fujairah amid “really low” demand, says a source. While VLSFO and HSFO will need lead times of some three days and six days, respectively, prompt dates are available for LSMGO.

Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended across all grades in the UAE port of Khor Fakkan.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 24 May, 2023

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

19 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

19 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

19 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