Business

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Availability ‘super tight’ across ARA and Med ports; weather delays Gibraltar Strait bunkering; ARA’s gasoil inventories close to eight-year lows.

Published

4 years ago

April 7, 2022

Admin

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:

06 April 2022

Availability “super tight” across ARA and Med ports
Weather delays Gibraltar Strait bunkering
ARA’s gasoil inventories close to eight-year lows

Supply in the ARA ports is “super tight” across all grades. Prompt deliveries have been difficult to find in recent days, sources say. Suppliers in Rotterdam are running short of fuel and are avoiding offers for prompt deliveries. One supplier can offer LSMGO deliveries in Antwerp from 14 April.

Crude distillation unit (CDU) maintenances at several regional refineries in the ARA could have limited production of residual fuel oil as a by-product.

ExxonMobil’s Antwerp refinery is undergoing a month-long turnaround scheduled to last to 22 April, according to Wood Mackenzie. Shell’s Pernis refinery – Europe’s biggest – is down for a five-month maintenance due to end on 1 June.

ARA’s independently held residual fuel oil stocks shed 10% in the week to 31 March, dropping to their lowest point since December 2019. Its gasoil stocks continued to linger close to eight-year lows, Insights Global data shows.

Russia regained the position as the biggest fuel oil import source to the ARA in the week. Nearly half of all fuel oil import volumes came from Russian ports, according to cargo tracker Vortexa. Other import sources included the UK, Sweden, France and Estonia.

Gasoil mostly arrived from Houston, with some from Portugal and Russia.

In Gibraltar Strait ports, bunker operations resumed on Wednesday after being largely suspended in the beginning of the week amid bad weather conditions.

Around 24 vessels were still awaiting bunkers at Gibraltar on Wednesday, port agent MH Bland said.

Suppliers in Gibraltar are experiencing barge delays, and generally require 4-5 days lead time to supply. One supplier can only offer VLSFO and is out of other grades.

In Algeciras, suppliers continue to deliver stems at its inner A and B anchorages. Deliveries at outer C and D anchorages are subject to a final decision, MH Bland says. Suppliers are delayed by 12-36 hours.

Bunker fuel availability is tight in Algeciras. Certain suppliers can offer deliveries for LSMGO and VLSFO from 11 April onwards, sources say. Other suppliers are fully booked for prompt deliveries.

Meanwhile, bunker operation is only available in Area 6 out of Malta’s six offshore bunkering areas, says MH Bland. Certain supplier can offer deliveries from 13 April for LSMGO and VLSFO, sources say.

Las Palmas bunker deliveries are only possible at the inner anchorage and through ex-pipe at berth, says MH Bland. VLSFO and LSMGO stems require 5-6 days of lead time.

Bunker fuel availability is normal across grades in Hamburg. LSMGO and VLSFO grades require 3-5 days of lead time.

In Italy, availability of HSFO380 and LSMGO remains “super tight” across most ports. The tightness is largely due to the slowdown of Russian imports, which has also affected production at local refinery, sources say. VLSFO availability in Genoa is fine and prompt deliveries are possible, while LSMGO requires 7-10 days.

In Piraeus, availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is tight and lead times of around 7-9 days is recommended, sources say. VLSFO is expected to remain tight until mid-April, the source adds.

Bunker fuel availability is normal in Durban. Suppliers can offer prompt deliveries for LSMGO and VLSFO. Cape Town has tighter availability, sources say.

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 7 April, 2022

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

22 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

22 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

22 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