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ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

VLSFO and HSFO availability tight in Singapore; weak demand in Zhoushan; South Korean ports face possible weather disruptions.

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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:

6 June 2023

  • VLSFO and HSFO availability tight in Singapore
  • Weak demand in Zhoushan
  • South Korean ports face possible weather disruptions

 

Singapore

Demand has been average in Singapore so far this week. Securing VLSFO and HSFO stems in Singapore can be difficult. Lead times for VLSFO are 9-11 days – almost unchanged from last week, while lead times for HSFO have increased from last week’s 8-11 days to 8-14 days now.

LSMGO availability, on the other hand, has improved with lead times shortening from last week’s 6-8 days to 3-5 days.

Residual fuel oil stocks in Singapore averaged 19% lower in May than in April, data from Enterprise Singapore shows. The port’s net fuel imports plunged 24% lower in May, and to their lowest level since last August. Fuel oil imports and exports also fell by 20% and 14%, respectively, in May.

The port’s middle distillate stocks were also down, declining by 9% in May.

 

East Asia

Zhoushan continues to grapple with weak demand, a source says. Despite less bunkering, VLSFO supply has tightened in the Chinese bunkering hub as some suppliers are running low on stocks. Lead times for the grade have nearly doubled on the week, from 3-5 days to 5-7 days now.

HSFO lead times, on the other hand, have come down from last week’s 4-7 days to 3-5 days. LSMGO lead times remain steady at 3-5 days.

In Hong Kong, VLSFO and HSFO supply has come under pressure amid tight barge availability, a source says. Recommended lead times for both grades remain unchanged on the week at 7-10 days.

LSMGO is more readily available in the port, with a shorter lead time of 3-5 days.

Wind gusts of 19-21 knots and swells of close to a meter are forecast to hit Hong Kong on 12 June, which could disrupt bunkering operations.

Bad weather is also anticipated to disrupt bunker deliveries in the South Korean ports of Ulsan and Onsan between 10-11 June, Busan and Yeosu between 9-11 June, and Daesan and Taean between 8-11 June.

Meanwhile, VLSFO availability remains tight in South Korean ports, with lead times stretching to almost two weeks. LSMGO availability has improved significantly in South Korea. Some suppliers, who were offering the LSMGO with lead times of 10-14 days last week, can now supply for prompt delivery dates. HSFO requires lead times of 3-5 days – similar to last week.

Adverse weather conditions are also forecast in the Philippine port of Subic Bay between 12-13 June, the Thai ports of Koh Sichang and Leam Chabang between 11-13 June, and the Kiwi port of Tauranga between Tuesday and Thursday, which might hamper bunker deliveries.

 

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 and Chennai on the southern coast.

Availability of both grades is relatively tight in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam and Paradip and deliveries are subject to availability. Meanwhile, supply is subject to enquiry in Tuticorin port located on the southeast coast and Haldia on the east coast.

Bad weather is forecast between Wednesday and Saturday, which could disrupt bunkering in India’s west coast ports of Sikka and Kandla.

Rough weather is also forecast at the Sri Lankan port of Colombo on Wednesday and could disrupt bunkering.

 

Middle East

Bunker fuel supply across all grades is said to be normal in Fujairah, with lead times ranging between 5-7 days for all grades – virtually unchanged from last week. Some suppliers can offer prompt stems of all grades, but their availability depends on the stem size, a source says.

The other UAE port of Khor Fakkan also has unchanged lead times of 5-7 days across all grades.

By Tuhin Roy

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 7 June, 2023

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

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