Bunker Fuel

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (14 August 2024)

Prompt supply is available in the ARA; high HSFO demand in Piraeus; LSMGO is still tight in Durban.

Published

7 months ago

August 15, 2024

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:

Prompt supply is available in the ARA
High HSFO demand in Piraeus
LSMGO is still tight in Durban

Northwest Europe

Availability across all three grades is normal in Rotterdam and in the wider ARA hub. Most suppliers can offer prompt delivery dates in these ports, a trader told ENGINE. Lead times of 3–5 days are generally recommended in the ARA hub.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have averaged 3% lower coming into August than across July, according to Insights Global data.

The region has imported 73,000 b/d of fuel oil in August so far, registering a steep decline from 296,000 b/d imported in July, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa. The ARA has imported low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) and HSFO in a 63/37 ratio so far this month, compared to July when the ratio was 50/50.

Germany has emerged as the ARA’s top fuel oil import source in August so far, accounting for 58% of the total imports, followed by Poland (37%) and Finland (5%).

The ARA hub’s independent gasoil inventories — which include diesel and heating oil — have dropped by 3% so far this month. The region has imported 556,000 b/d of gasoil so far this month, up from 303,000 b/d of gasoil in July, according to Vortexa data.

In Germany’s Hamburg port, all grades remain good for prompt supply, a trader told ENGINE. Lead times have remained consistent over the past few months, with a trader recommending lead times of 3–5 days for all grades.

Mediterranean

Prompt bunker fuel availability has been slightly tight in Gibraltar for the second consecutive week, a source said. Lead times of 4-6 days are recommended in the port for all grades, consistent with last week. Minimal congestion was reported in the port on Wednesday. Wind gusts of up to 21 knots are forecast on Wednesday and Saturday, which could hamper bunkering in the port.

Bunker fuel availability has tightened in the Canary Islands’ port of Las Palmas, with lead times stretching from last week's 3–5 days to 4–6 days now. Some suppliers in Las Palmas have tight delivery schedules because of high demand, a trader told ENGINE.

Meanwhile, the availability of HSFO and VLSFO grades is currently tight for prompt delivery in the Greek port of Piraeus, a trader said. HSFO demand is said to be strong in the port. Most coastal vessels and ocean-going container ships often bunker HSFO in Piraeus, a Greek trader told ENGINE.

Suppliers are mostly offering VLSFO for non-prompt delivery dates in Piraeus. LSMGO availability is normal in the port, but demand for the grade has been strong, a source said. Rough weather-induced bunkering disruptions may impact Piraeus from Wednesday to Saturday.

In other Mediterranean bunker hubs of Malta Offshore and Istanbul, demand has been relatively low, a trader said.

Availability is normal for all grades off Malta, a trader said. Malta Offshore was struggling with HSFO tightness last week, but the supply of the grade has improved coming into this week. LSMGO and VLSFO grades are also available for prompt delivery dates there, a source said. Bad weather is likely to hamper bunkering off Malta between Thursday and Saturday.

Some suppliers in Turkey's Istanbul port are now offering HSFO for prompt delivery dates, an improvement from last week when supply was very tight. VLSFO and LSMGO supply is also good in the port, with most suppliers offering the grades within lead times of 3–4 days. Bunkering may be affected between Wednesday and Saturday due to adverse weather forecast in the area.

Africa

LSMGO remains tight in the South African port of Durban, with traders recommending lead times of up to two weeks for the grade. VLSFO is also tight for prompt delivery dates in both Durban and Richards Bay, a trader said. Lead times of 7–10 days are advised for VLSFO. Wind gusts of 24 knots are forecast in Durban on Saturday, which may disrupt bunkering.

Mauritius’ Port Louis continues to witness tightness in supply across all three bunker grades, a trader said. Lead times of over two weeks are recommended to ensure full coverage from suppliers. Adverse weather is forecast in periods between Wednesday and Saturday, which could complicate bunkering in Port Louis.

By Manjula Nair

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 15 August 2024

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SMW 2025: Singapore to launch new standard for electric harbour craft this week

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SMW 2025: Singapore to launch new standard for electric harbour craft this week

Minister of State for Transport Murali Pillai on Monday (24 March) said Singapore will launch a new standard for electric harbour crafts this week as part of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) efforts in facilitating decarbonisation for domestic harbour craft to achieve the republic’s national target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

“MPA and Enterprise Singapore will launch the new Technical Reference 136 this week to provide guidelines for the development and operation of charging and battery swap systems for electric harbour craft,” Murali said during his speech at the opening ceremony of the Singapore Maritime Week 2025 (SMW 2025).

“This will enhance the safety and interoperability of electric harbour craft charging infrastructure.”

This is one of the initiatives MPA is undertaking to prepare for the bunkering of alternative marine fuels and decarbonising Singapore’s domestic maritime sector.

The minister said Singapore is taking steps to support the use of various fuels by the industry and position Singapore as a leading bunkering hub for alternative fuels.

“Over the past two years, we have supported trials of alternative fuels such as ammonia and methanol. These have contributed to the development of new technical references and IMO guidelines to enable the safe and efficient use of these marine fuels,” he said.

“MPA and Enterprise Singapore published the new Technical Reference 129 on Methanol Bunkering earlier this month, and we plan to launch a new standard for ammonia bunkering later this year.”

He added MPA has also recently allowed licensed bunker tankers to carry and deliver biofuels up to B30.

“Pilots for up to B100 are ongoing, and we welcome bunker suppliers to engage in these pilots,” he said.

At the opening ceremony of SMW 2025, Senior Minister Lee Hsien Loong, together with Murali, also launched Singapore’s first Maritime Digital Twin, an advanced simulation model developed by MPA in partnership with the Government Technology Agency of Singapore (GovTech) that integrates real-time data to enhance decision-making and improve management of maritime operations in Singapore waters.

Murali said the digital twin will integrate data from different sources and provide a platform for information sharing. This will enable the development of tools to optimise port efficiency and reliability above, at and below the sea surface.

“For example, the digital twin will enable scenario simulations and dispersion modelling, which can inform standard operating procedures for the safe bunkering of alternative fuels such as methanol and ammonia,” he said.

The minister added MPA will roll out the digital twin to pilot users later this year, before progressive implementation for the wider industry.

“In future, we can extend this to the global maritime ecosystem through our Green and Digital Shipping Corridors with other countries and ports,” he said.

Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of SingaporePublished: 24 March, 2025

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TFG Marine welcomes first of four ‘L’ series IMO type II bunkering tankers of Consort Bunkers

TFG Marine to operate Consort Bunkers’ bunkering tanker “Pearl Lavender”, capable of carrying methanol, biogrades up to B100, as well as conventional fuels, at Singapore port from April onwards.

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TFG Marine welcomes first of four 'L' series IMO type II bunkering tankers of Consort Bunkers

Global marine fuel supply and procurement firm TFG Marine on Friday (21 March) said it attended the delivery ceremony of bunker tanker Pearl Lavender at China Merchants Jinling shipyard in Nanjing.

The IMO type II chemical bunkering tanker newbuilding is amongst others under long-term time charter from Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers Pte Ltd (Consort).

"This state of the art vessel, capable of carrying methanol, biogrades up to B100, as well as conventional fuels, will be operational at the Port of Singapore from April 2025, further advancing our product offering to our client base in the APAC region," said TFG Marine.

"As the first of four barges in this order, this investment builds on our commitment to low-carbon fuel bunkering infrastructure, reinforcing our vision for a multi-fuel future.

"With methanol, biofuels, ammonia, and other alternative fuels playing an increasingly significant role alongside traditional marine fuels, we continue to support the industry's transition towards cleaner energy solutions."

Manifold Times previously reported that Consort first contracted six ‘L’ series 6,500 dwt IMO Type II bunker tankers with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard (Nanjing) Co., Ltd. in April 2023.

The ‘L’ series of bunker tanker newbuildings gained recognition from the China Association of The National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI) as amongst the Chinese shipbuilding sector’s top 10 innovative vessels for 2024.

Last year, TFG Marine announced the signing of a long-term time charter agreement with Singapore-based bunker supplier and logistics services provider Consort Bunkers for four newbuild bunker tankers.

Photo credit: TFG Marine
Published: 24 March, 2025

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RINA awards Type Approval to VINSSEN for maritime fuel cell stack

Approval of VINSSEN 60kW maritime fuel cell stack will accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of its 120kW maritime fuel cell power generation system.

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RINA awards Type Approval to VINSSEN for maritime fuel cell stack

South Korea’s maritime decarbonisation technology provider VINSSEN on Friday (21 March) said it has received Type Approval from Italian classification society RINA for its 60kW maritime fuel cell stack.

The company said the approval will accelerate the demonstration and commercialisation of VINSSEN's 120kW maritime fuel cell power generation system.

Despite the absence of clear maritime hydrogen-related legal standards, the company has leveraged regulatory sandboxes to systematically conduct technology verification and rigorous certification procedures, demonstrating its technical expertise.

“The recent Type Approval from RINA not only strengthens international confidence in hydrogen fuel cell technology for eco-friendly ships but also marks a significant step toward full commercialisation,” it said.

“This milestone reflects the company's commitment to promoting hydrogen fuel cells as a key solution for reducing maritime carbon emissions.”

The certification process involved performance and environmental tests based on IEC standards, all of which VINSSEN successfully passed. The vibration test confirmed the system's durability under specific frequency and acceleration conditions.

Additionally, the dielectric strength test showed that the system could withstand high voltage without insulation failure, meeting all required standards.

“These challenging tests were successfully completed, confirming the reliability and safety of VINSSEN's fuel cell module for maritime and shipbuilding applications,” the company said.

Looking ahead, VINSSEN plans to accelerate the development of next-generation hydrogen fuel cell solutions, including a 150kW high-output fuel cell stack and an onboard fuel cell power generation system using reformed gas (75% hydrogen and 25% nitrogen). These innovations will increase the feasibility of applying MW-class hydrogen fuel cell systems to larger vessels.

A VINSSEN representative said: “This Type Approval is a key milestone for the commercialisation of MW-class maritime hydrogen fuel cell systems. We will continue leading the maritime market through ongoing technological innovation and the pursuit of global certifications.”

Manifold Times recently reported VINSSEN receiving an Approval in Principle (AIP) certification from the Korean Register (KR) for Korea's first tugboat featuring a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system.

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Published: 24 March, 2025