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ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability (20 March 2024)

Prompt LSMGO availability is good in the ARA; HSFO is tight off Malta; strong bunker demand in Walvis Bay.

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RESIZED ENGINE Europe and Africa

The following article regarding Europe and Africa bunker fuel availability has been provided by online marine fuel procurement platform ENGINE for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

  • Prompt LSMGO availability is good in the ARA
  • HSFO is tight off Malta
  • Strong bunker demand in Walvis Bay

Northwest Europe

Bunker fuel availability is good in Rotterdam and in the wider ARA hub. Lead times of 4-5 days are recommended for VLSFO and 4-6 days for HSFO. LSMGO can be delivered with shorter lead times of 2-4 days.

The ARA’s fuel oil stocks have grown to their highest monthly levels since April 2021. The region has imported 280,000 b/d of fuel oil so far this month, up from 256,000 b/d in February, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa.

The UK has been the ARA’s biggest fuel oil import source so far this month, accounting for 24% of the region’s total imports. Lithuania has ranked second, accounting for 16% of the total imports, followed by Poland (11%), Mexico and Germany (10% each).

The ARA hub’s independent gasoil inventories — which include diesel and heating oil — have increased by 7% so far this month.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in the German port of Hamburg, a trader says. Lead times of 3-5 days are advised for all grades. Bunkering may be disrupted on Friday amid a forecast of wind gusts of 20 knots in the area.

Off Skaw, lead times of 5-7 days are still recommended for VLSFO and LSMGO, according to a trader. HSFO supply continues to be tight, with stems only available for non-prompt delivery dates. A trader recommends lead times of 7-10 days for the high-sulphur grade. Bunkering disruptions may arise due to the rough weather forecast off Skaw on Wednesday and Thursday, a source said.

Mediterranean

Bunker fuel availability has been good for all grades in Gibraltar, a trader said. Lead times of 5-6 days are recommended for HSFO, while LSMGO and VLSFO are available with short lead times of 2-4 days. Rough weather is forecast in Gibraltar and the nearby Algeciras port on Thursday, which may hamper bunkering. Strong wind gusts of 25 knots are forecast for Thursday in the Gibraltar Strait.

Bunker fuel availability in the Canary Islands’ port of Las Palmas has improved this week after the extreme supply tightness seen last week. Most suppliers are able to offer prompt delivery dates across all three grades, according to a trader. Rough weather in Las Palmas may hamper bunkering on Thursday and Friday.

Other Mediterranean ports of Piraeus, Istanbul and Malta offshore are facing very low demand, a trader says.

Bunker fuel availability is currently normal in the Greek port of Piraeus, a trader says. Prompt delivery dates are available across all grades. Bunkering may be impacted on Wednesday, with wind gusts of 25 knots forecast. Bad weather is also forecast for next Monday, which could disrupt bunkering.

HSFO is tight off Malta for prompt delivery, a trader told ENGINE. Bunkering is expected to progress smoothly off Malta for the rest of this week amid conducive weather conditions. But bad weather is forecast for next Monday and could impact bunkering in the region.

Turkey’s Istanbul has normal availability across all grades. Prompt supply for all grades is available, a trader says. The weather is forecast to remain calm for the rest of this week, which could facilitate smooth bunkering operations.

Africa

VLSFO availability is normal for non-prompt deliveries in the South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay. A trader advises lead times of 7-10 days for VLSFO in both ports.

LSMGO supply is very tight in Durban, with supply running dry in the port, a trader says. Lead times of well over ten days are recommended for the grade. Wind gusts of 25-26 knots are forecast in Durban on Thursday and Friday, which could trigger bunker disruptions.

High bunker demand in Durban has increased waiting times for vessels seeking bunkers in the port. A tanker that arrived for bunkers on Saturday was able to secure berthing space only on Monday, resulting in a 48-hour delay, shipping agent Trade Ocean said. The delay in berthing allocation was due to congestion at tanker berths, which are the only berths authorised by the port for tanker bunkering, it added.

Simone Piredda, a trading manager at Monjasa, also confirmed that South African ports have been witnessing increased waiting times for supplies due to higher bunker demand.

The ongoing Red Sea crisis has compelled shipping companies to opt for a longer route around the Cape of Good Hope, leading to heightened bunker demand at South African and other ports along this route.

No bunker backlogs have been reported in Namibia's Walvis Bay, which has witnessed high bunker demand since the Red Sea crisis began last year.

Monjasa has been among the most active physical suppliers off Walvis Bay in the past two months, as per the data from fuel testing labs that ENGINE has access to. Other active players have been Oryx Energies, TFG Marine and Bunker One.

According to Piredda, Namibia’s Walvis Bay continues to witness high bunker demand compared to the same period last year. Despite more ships arriving for bunkers, the average waiting time for bunkering has not increased, Piredda added.

Six months have passed since offshore bunkering was suspended in South Africa’s Algoa Bay last September. The suspension was enforced after the South African Revenue Service (SARS) detained bunker barges over import duty disputes. Since then, only in-port deliveries have been offered by one supplier in Port Elizabeth. Bunkering is only available by truck in Port Elizabeth. Negotiations are still ongoing between suppliers and SARS, a source said.

By Manjula Nair

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 21 March 2024

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Alternative Fuels

New agreements inked to advance marine electrification in Singapore

Lita Ocean, SeaTech Solutions, Pascal Technologies, and Evoy will develop a fully electric passenger harbour craft, specifically for Singapore, while Yinson GreenTech and Evoy will develop electric vessels.

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New agreements inked to advance marine electrification in Singapore

Innovation Norway and Team Norway on Wednesday (6 November) announced two agreements aimed at advancing sustainable maritime solutions, signed at the Singapore Norway Innovation Conference (SNIC) 2024.

The first agreement—a Letter of Intent (LOI)—was signed by Lita Ocean Pte Ltd, SeaTech Solutions International (S) Pte Ltd, Pascal Technologies AS, and Evoy AS, to develop a fully electric high-speed harbour craft specifically designed for Singapore’s maritime landscape. The second agreement—a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)—was signed between Yinson GreenTech and Evoy, aiming to foster collaboration in marine electrification across Asia. 

The LOI signed between Lita Ocean, SeaTech Solutions, Pascal Technologies, and Evoy marks a key milestone in Singapore’s ongoing efforts to decarbonize its maritime industry. 

The project will develop a fully electric passenger harbour craft, integrating cutting-edge technologies like advanced electric propulsion and air lubrication systems to maximise energy efficiency and performance. This new vessel will set new standards for sustainable harbour operations and support Singapore’s green transformation goals in maritime transportation. 

Evoy sign MOU in Norway Singapore agreement 02

The collaboration builds on previous advancements in electric harbour crafts in Singapore, positioning the project as a critical step toward achieving maritime decarbonisation and a cleaner, greener future for the region. 

Additionally, Yinson GreenTech and Evoy have signed an MoU that will combine their strengths to drive marine electrification in the region. Yinson GreenTech’s electrification solutions, paired with Evoy’s electric propulsion systems, will support the conversion of internal combustion engine (ICE) vessels to electric power and foster the development of new electric vessels. 

This partnership is aimed at advancing the transition to a more sustainable maritime industry, with the shared goal of exploring new opportunities, collaborating on upcoming projects, and playing a key role in the broader transition to greener shipping solutions in Asia. 

The MoU was signed by Jan-Viggo Johansen, Managing Director of marinEV at Yinson GreenTech, and Mads Roland-Glimsholt, Business Development Manager at Evoy. 

“As a proud partner in this Norway-Singapore initiative, Evoy is excited to bring our high-performance electric propulsion systems to Singapore’s maritime landscape. We are committed to setting new standards in sustainable harbour craft and working with our partners to support a greener future in maritime transport” Mads Roland-Glimsholt, Business Development Manager at Evoy. 

 

Photo credit: Evoy
Published: 8 November, 2024

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Alternative Fuels

ExxonMobil supplies Hapag-Lloyd with B25 bio bunker fuel blend in Antwerp

Firm supplied Hapag-Lloyd vessel “Colorado Express” with 1,320 mt of B25 bio marine fuel blend, which consisted of ExxonMobil’s Premium HDME 50™ fuel and waste-based FAME derived from UCOME.

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Hapag-Lloyd

ExxonMobil on Thursday (7 November) said it supplied Hapag-Lloyd’s vessel Colorado Express with 1,320 metric tonnes (mt) of a B25 bio marine fuel blend in Antwerp. 

The blend consisted of ExxonMobil’s Premium HDME 50™ fuel, a 0.10% sulphur Emission Control Area (ECA) fuel, and waste-based fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) derived from used cooking oil methyl ester (UCOME).

“The ‘drop-in’ blend met the requirements of ISO 8217:2017 with the exception of the FAME component. The FAME content complied with EN 14214,” ExxonMobil said in a statement.

“The bio component was made material certified as meeting the sustainability requirements of the RED II: feedstocks not in competition with land for food production.”

ExxonMobil’s bio marine fuel blend underwent a range of tests prior to delivery in Antwerp. 

The blend offered an estimated 20.1% well-to-wake greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction compared with conventional marine fuel formulations on an energy basis.

“Hapag-Lloyd aims at having net-zero carbon fleet operations by 2045. As part of that commitment, we are continuously looking for opportunities to onboard new bio blends in our fuels mix. We appreciate ExxonMobil’s efforts to supply us with a bio blend with ULSFO, which is another step forward in our decarbonisation journey,” said Ilyas Muhammad, Head of Green Fuels at Hapag-Lloyd. 

“We successfully bunkered bio-ULSFO blend at our Colorado Express and so far our operational experience with this product is positive. We look forward to increasing bio-ULSFO consumption in the future,” said Nikolai Doerner, Senior Manager Biofuels at Hapag-Lloyd.

The Colorado Express used the bio marine fuel blend without incident; both NOx and particulate emissions were within accepted limits.

“ExxonMobil is looking for ways to support our customers [to] reduce their GHG emissions,” said Pelin Gillis, Marine Fuels Sales Manager, BNL, ExxonMobil. “We are proud to have helped Hapag-Lloyd on their journey to a lower GHG emissions future.”

“ExxonMobil has greatly extended its range of ‘drop-in’ bio marine fuel blends,” said Armelle Breneol, Marine Fuels Technical Advisor, ExxonMobil. 

“We now offer a B25 ULSFO, a B30 VLSFO, a B7 MGO and a B10 HSFO. This will help our customers access the blend they need to meet their engine operations and GHG emission reduction goals.”

 

Photo credit: Hapag-Lloyd
Published: 8 November, 2024

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Biofuel

GoodFuels delivers B30 bio bunker fuel blend to cruise ship “Norwegian Dawn”

B30 biofuel blend, produced exclusively from feedstocks certified as 100% waste and residues, was supplied by FincoEnergies in partnership with KPI OceanConnect.

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GoodFuels delivers B30 bio bunker fuel blend to cruise ship “Norwegian Dawn”

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Dawn recently received a GoodFuels B30 sustainable biofuel blend while docked at the IJmuiden Cruise Terminal in the Netherlands, according to GoodFuels on Thursday (7 November). 

The B30 biofuel blend, produced exclusively from feedstocks certified as 100% waste and residues, was supplied by FincoEnergies in partnership with KPI OceanConnect. It offers a sustainable alternative that avoids competition with food resources. 

“By choosing GoodFuels’ sustainable biofuel, Norwegian Dawn can achieve up to 80-90% reduction in lifecycle CO₂ emissions compared to traditional marine diesel—requiring no engine modifications to realise these benefits,” GoodFuels said. 

Beyond reducing carbon emissions, biofuels contribute to cleaner air quality along cruise routes. For vessels like Norwegian Dawn, this means fewer local pollutants such as sulphur oxides (SOx), particulate matter (PM), and black carbon, ultimately benefiting both the environment and communities near these waters. 

“We’re excited to support Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings in their move toward cleaner cruising. By choosing sustainable biofuels, they’re driving down emissions and setting a strong example for the cruise industry” said Mayu Kubo, Commercial Manager, Marine Biofuels at FincoEnergies.

The initiative aligns with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd’s ‘Sail and Sustain’ programme, which advocates for the use of renewable fuels across 40% of its fleet. 

Related: GoodFuels ceases bio bunker fuel deliveries in Singapore after near three-year run

 

Photo credit: GoodFuels
Published: 8 November, 2024

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