Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: East of Suez Fuel Availability Outlook (28 July 2026)

VLSFO availability tight in Zhoushan; availability tight across all grades in Fujairah; bunker demand picks up in Jeddah.

Published

4 hours ago

July 29, 2026

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:

VLSFO availability tight in Zhoushan
Availability tight across all grades in Fujairah
Bunker demand picks up in Jeddah

Singapore and Malaysia

VLSFO availability in Singapore has tightened further, with suppliers now recommending lead times of 16-20 days, compared with 14-19 days last week. Supply remains under pressure as the port’s fuel oil inventories have yet to recover to pre-conflict levels, while cargo inflows continue to be affected by renewed US-Iran hostilities that have disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz.

HSFO supply has also tightened, with recommended lead times extending to 12-15 days from 9-13 days a week earlier. Meanwhile, LSMGO availability has improved, with lead times easing to 5-8 days from 9-11 days last week.

Fuel oil inventories fell below 18 million bbls in June, down from more than 23 million bbls in March. Stocks have also remained below the 20 million-bbl mark so far this month, latest data from Enterprise Singapore shows.

In Malaysia’s Port Klang, bunker fuel supply remains constrained. Prompt VLSFO availability is tight, LSMGO supply is limited, and HSFO continues to face supply pressure.

East Asia

VLSFO availability in Zhoushan remains tight despite muted demand, with suppliers recommending lead times of about nine days, down from roughly 12 days previously. A local source attributed the extended lead times to reduced refinery output.

Recommended lead times for both LSMGO and HSFO have remained largely unchanged at around seven days.

Bunker fuel availability across northern China continues to vary by port. Suppliers in Dalian and Qingdao have sufficient VLSFO and LSMGO stocks, although HSFO remains tight in Qingdao. In Tianjin, availability of all three major bunker grades is constrained, while Shanghai continues to face tight VLSFO and HSFO supply. LSMGO availability in Shanghai remains comparatively stable.

Supply conditions also remain tight across several southern Chinese ports. VLSFO and LSMGO are both under pressure in Fuzhou. Xiamen has adequate VLSFO availability, but prompt LSMGO supply is more limited. In Yangpu and Guangzhou, both grades continue to face supply constraints.

Hong Kong’s bunker market remains stable, with suppliers continuing to recommend lead times of around seven days for all major fuel grades, largely unchanged from recent weeks.

In Taiwan, VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries can be arranged within about two days in Hualien and Taichung, while Kaohsiung requires lead times of around three days. In Keelung, however, lead times for both grades have extended to 4-5 days from about three days previously due to ongoing barge constraints.

Bunker fuel availability has improved across South Korea’s southern ports, including Busan, Ulsan, Masan, Onsan, Yeosu and Kwangyang. Recommended lead times for VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO have all shortened to 6-8 days, compared with 9-16 days last week, reflecting an easing in supply conditions.

A similar trend is evident across South Korea’s western ports—including Incheon, Daesan, Dangjin, Pyeongtaek and Taean—where lead times for all three fuel grades have also narrowed to 6-8 days, from 9-16 days a week earlier.

Meanwhile, supply remains tight at Japan’s major ports, including Tokyo, Chiba, Kawasaki, Kashima, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Osaka, Kobe, Mizushima and Oita. VLSFO and LSMGO continue to be available through only a limited number of suppliers, while HSFO is comparatively easier to source, with recommended lead times of around 7-10 days.

In contrast, Indonesia continues to enjoy healthy bunker fuel availability. Suppliers in Jakarta, Surabaya, Balikpapan and Cigading are generally recommending lead times of just 2-3 days for VLSFO, indicating ample supply.

Oceania

VLSFO availability remains steady across Western Australia, with suppliers in Kwinana and Fremantle continuing to recommend lead times of about seven days. Both ports rely on a single supplier, with all bunker deliveries conducted by barge.

Supply conditions are more varied along Australia’s east coast. In Port Kembla, VLSFO can be delivered by truck or pipeline, while suppliers in Sydney have sufficient stocks of both VLSFO and LSMGO. HSFO availability is comparatively tighter in Sydney, where suppliers generally advise booking around seven days in advance.

In Queensland, VLSFO and LSMGO remain readily available in Brisbane and Gladstone, with lead times holding at approximately seven days.

Further south, Melbourne and Geelong continue to have healthy VLSFO inventories. However, both ports depend on a single bunker barge for deliveries, keeping recommended lead times at around one week. HSFO availability has tightened further in both Melbourne and Brisbane.

Separately, one supplier is offering all major bunker grades in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne with lead times of roughly five days. In Western Australia, pipeline-based bunker deliveries to Dampier Cargo Wharf (DCW) have been suspended until around the end of September due to repair works. Limited truck deliveries remain available, depending on vessel size. During the outage, a supplier has designated the Toll Supply Base (TSB) in Dampier as the preferred alternative for bunker operations, a source said.

Across the Tasman, bunker fuel availability in New Zealand remains largely unchanged. VLSFO supply is readily available in Tauranga and Auckland, where suppliers continue to recommend lead times of around four days. At Marsden Point, both VLSFO and LSMGO can be supplied directly to vessels via pipeline.

Weather remains the primary operational challenge in New Zealand. Bunker deliveries are especially vulnerable to disruption in Wellington and ports across the South Island, where adverse weather conditions can periodically delay supply operations.

South Asia

Some suppliers in Mumbai continue to recommend lead times of 4–5 days for both VLSFO and LSMGO, although deliveries remain subject to weather conditions. In contrast, VLSFO availability is extremely tight at Haldia, Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Gangavaram and Krishnapatnam, a source said.

Monsoon conditions are expected to disrupt bunker operations at several Indian ports over the coming days, with weather-related delays likely to affect bunker deliveries. Operations at Kandla and Sikka are forecast to face disruptions between 28 July and 1 August, while rough seas could hinder bunkering in Mumbai, Cochin and Visakhapatnam over the same period.

In Sri Lanka, adverse weather is also expected to intermittently disrupt bunker operations in Colombo and Trincomalee between 28 July and 1 August, with potential delays to bunker deliveries.

Middle East

Renewed hostilities between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz have tightened bunker fuel availability in Fujairah. Supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO have become more constrained compared to last week, when prompt deliveries were still possible. Only a handful of suppliers are currently able to offer LSMGO, while HSFO remains scarce and is largely available only on a firm enquiry basis.

Conditions are more favourable at the neighbouring UAE bunker hub of Khor Fakkan, where VLSFO and HSFO availability remains good. However, bunker demand has eased in both Fujairah and Khor Fakkan amid the renewed regional conflict, according to a Middle East-based source.

In Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah, VLSFO and LSMGO availability continues to hold steady, despite an uptick in demand.

Supply constraints persist in Qatar’s Ras Laffan, where both VLSFO and LSMGO remain in limited supply.

At Egypt’s Port Suez, inventories of all three conventional bunker grades remain critically tight.

Further south, availability of all major bunker fuel grades also continues to be limited in Djibouti.

By Tuhin Roy

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 29 July, 2026

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Bunker Fuel

Port of Rotterdam publishes bunker fuel sales data for Q2 2026

Ethanol as a bunker fuel was reported in Rotterdam for the first time with 1,025 mt delivered in Q2 2026, following an ethanol-methanol blend bunkering operation of container vessel Eco Levant in May.

Published

3 hours ago

July 29, 2026

Admin

The Port of Rotterdam Authority recently published bunker fuel sales data for the second quarter (Q2) of 2026.

Deliveries of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 123,190 metric tonnes (mt) (+33% from 162,142 mt), 354,448 mt (-9.1% from 439,804 mt), 704,637 mt (+10.9% from 619,010 mt), 266,570(+18% from 273,696 mt), 64,777 mt (-8.2% from 86,821 mt).

Bio-blended variants of ultra low sulphur fuel oil, very low sulphur fuel oil, high sulphur fuel oil, marine gas oil and marine diesel oil in Q2 2026 (against on year) recorded respectively 22,032 mt (-28.3% from 24,573 mt), 144,665 mt (-57% from 68,271 mt), 30,191 mt (+15.3% from 38,490 mt), 34,574 mt (+627.7% from 31,663 mt) and 8,413 mt (-30.2% from 2,223 mt).

Port data showed 273,021 m3 of liquefied natural gas (LNG) being delivered as a marine fuel in Q2 2026, down by 17.4% from 207,658 m3 in Q2 2025. Bio-methanol and bio-blended LNG recorded 2,845 mt and 7,506 m3 respectively in Q2 2026.

Manifold Times previously reported Evos Rotterdam holding a ground-breaking ceremony for its methanol and ethanol expansion project at the Port of Rotterdam, formally starting the construction phase of a major investment in additional terminal capacity.

Once operational in early 2028, the expansion will give Evos Rotterdam greater capacity to handle methanol and ethanol for industrial customers, as well as for the developing market in cleaner, low-carbon marine fuels and bunkering.

Shipping giant A.P. Moller – Maersk (Maersk) recently announced a new milestone in its marine fuel trials, with its dual-fuel feeder vessel Laura Maersk successfully operating on 100% ethanol for a second time.

The latest trial marked a significant step forward from earlier tests, as the vessel was supplied through a larger-scale bunkering operation conducted by barge in Rotterdam.

Photo credit: Port of Rotterdam
Published: 29 July, 2026

Alternative Fuels

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: Pooling party cools for B100 and LBM

Rotterdam B100 flips to $110/mt premium over VLSFO; Singapore B100 loses cost edge against LSMGO; LBM swings to $25/mt premium over VLSFO for Otto MS engines.

Published

1 day ago

July 28, 2026

Admin

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: Pooling party cools for B100 and LBM

Once a week, bunker intelligence platform ENGINE will publish a snapshot of alternative and conventional bunker fuel prices in the world’s two biggest bunkering hubs. The following is the latest snapshot:

27 July 2026

Rotterdam B100 flips to $110/mt premium over VLSFO
Singapore B100 loses cost edge against LSMGO
LBM swings to $25/mt premium over VLSFO for Otto MS engines

OceanScore’s FuelEU pooling price index has fallen to €131.75/mtCO2e ($150/mtCO2e), down by around €28/mtCO2e ($32/mtCO2e) over the past week.

Over the same period, ENGINE-assessed FuelEU Maritime pooling values for B100 and liquefied biomethane (LBM) on EU-EU voyages have decreased by $86/mt and $120-140/mt, respectively.

ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: Pooling party cools for B100 and LBM

The retreat has been steeper over the past month, but most of it has come in the past week.

OceanScore’s FuelEU pooling price index has slumped by €40/mtCO2e ($46/mtCO2e) since 29 June, with roughly 70% of that fall coming in the past week.

The drop in the underlying benchmark has cut B100’s potential pooling value by $123/mt in the past month to $405/mt.

LBM has been hit even harder, with its pooling values sliding by $171-201/mt over the same period to $562-659/mt.

Liquid fuels

The decline in B100’s pooling value for EU-EU voyages has hurt the fuel’s affordability in Rotterdam, where its bunker price has climbed by $144/mt over the past week.

As a result, B100 has moved to a $110/mt premium over Rotterdam’s VLSFO from a $105/mt discount seen the week before.

B100’s discount to LSMGO has narrowed by $201/mt to $340/mt over the past week, with a $57/mt decline in Rotterdam’s LSMGO price adding to the contraction.

Singapore’s HSFO and VLSFO benchmarks have edged down by $6-7/mt, while its LSMGO price has declined by $17/mt over the past week.

The port’s B100 benchmark has gained $91/mt, driven by a rise in the outright price and a $43/mt drop in B100’s pooling value for EU-nonEU voyages. Singapore’s B100 has shifted to a $2/mt premium over its LSMGO, from a $106/mt discount in the prior week.

Liquid gases

The decline in LBM’s pooling values for EU-EU voyages has erased the fuel’s price advantage over VLSFO in Rotterdam for dual-fuel vessels with Otto medium-speed (Otto MS) engines.

LBM has flipped to a $25/mt premium over VLSFO for vessels with Otto MS engines, from a $203/mt discount a week earlier.

For vessels with diesel slow-speed (diesel SS) engines, LBM maintains a discount to VLSFO in Rotterdam. But that discount has narrowed by $248/mt over the past week to $149/mt.

LBM discounts to LSMGO in Rotterdam have also narrowed by $215-234/mt over the past week to $424-598/mt, depending on the engine type.

Its discounts to LNG have narrowed by $114-115/mt over the past week to $289-297/mt.

By Konica Bhatt

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 28 July, 2026

Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (23 July 2026)

Tropical storm disrupts US Gulf bunkering; Panama demand dips; VLSFO and LSMGO tight in Paranagua and Rio Grande.

Published

5 days ago

July 24, 2026

Admin

The following article regarding bunker fuel availability in the Americas region has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Tropical storm disrupts US Gulf bunkering
Panama demand dips
VLSFO and LSMGO tight in Paranagua and Rio Grande

North America

In the port of Houston, bunker demand has ticked up over the past week, while availability of all three conventional fuel grades is normal, a trader tells ENGINE.

Recommended lead times for VLSFO and HSFO are at 5-6 days, and LSMGO is available from most suppliers with lead times of 3-4 days.

In the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), bunkering is currently underway on a first-come, first-served basis. Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is okay, with both grades typically requiring lead times of 6-7 days over the past week.

HSFO availability is comparatively tighter, and longer lead times are expected at the anchorage, a source told ENGINE.

The Atlantic hurricane season is ongoing, and the National Hurricane Center has issued advisories for Tropical Storm Bertha.

The storm is expected to dominate weather conditions across the US Gulf through the end of the week, bringing strong to severe thunderstorms, gale-force gusts, sustained winds of up to 40 knots near the storm, and rough seas.

In the US Gulf, the passing of Bertha could cause bunker delays, a trader said.

“Mobile, Pascagoula, New Orleans, Lake Charles, Beaumont, Houston, Galveston, Freeport and GOLA are all possibly in the line of the storm,” the trader added.

On the US East Coast, the port of New York is seeing steady bunker demand, with neither significant highs nor lows, a trader said.

Recommended lead times for HSFO and VLSFO are at 5-7 days. LSMGO can be delivered by most suppliers in less than five days. Weather conditions at the port are expected to remain calm, with winds of 5-10 knots and waves of 1-2 feet.

On the West Coast, the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have recorded strong bunker demand. Prompt availability of all three conventional fuel grades is tight.

Suppliers have recommended lead times of 7-8 days for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO.

This week, the Port of Long Beach and the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced they have partnered to study small modular reactors (SMRs) for commercial shipping and port operations, signalling growing interest in nuclear-powered shipping.

In Canada’s Vancouver, bunker demand is steady. Availability is good at the port, with all three conventional fuel grades requiring lead times of 4-5 days.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Panama, fuel demand has dipped this week. Balboa and Cristobal continue to see normal availability.

Suppliers recommend lead times of 3-5 days for VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO requires around seven days.

Drought conditions linked to El Niño have renewed concerns over water levels in the Panama Canal. Shipping agent Norton Lilly said the Panama Canal Authority will temporarily reduce vessel booking slots, which could increase congestion by the key trade route.

In Colombia, the ports of Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla have good availability of VLSFO and LSMGO, with the earliest delivery dates in 3-4 days, a trader said.

The Brazilian port of Santos is experiencing congestion, but bunker availability is okay this week. Lead times are 5-8 days, depending on the size of the enquiry and the fuel grade, a trader said.

At Rio de Janeiro, VLSFO availability is okay, and deliveries can be made within 4-5 days. LSMGO is available only with prior consultation.

For Belem and Vila do Conde, availability for both VLSFO and LSMGO is okay, and deliveries can be made within 4-5 days.

In Paranaguá, both VLSFO and LSMGO are tight this week. The earliest delivery date for both grades is between 1-2 August.

Availability of these two grades is very tight at Rio Grande. The earliest expected delivery date is 31 July, a trader said.

In Argentina, construction of the new crude oil terminal at Punta Colorada is ongoing. The project is moving into the pipeline installation phase following the completion of a single point mooring anchor, Antares Ship Agents said.

Once completed, the new terminal will support tanker loading operations.

At Argentina’s Zona Comun anchorage, availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is good, with both grades deliverable in 5-7 days.

Operations are currently ongoing on a first-come, first-served basis. On Saturday, however, delays and disruptions are possible at the anchorage due to dense fog, a source said.

By Gautamee Hazarika

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 24 July, 2026