Bunker Fuel Availability

ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (22 Nov 2023)

Prompt HSFO supply tight in ARA; bunker fuel supply remains tight in Malta, Piraeus and Istanbul; LSMGO tight in Durban and Richards Bay.

Published

10 months ago

November 23, 2023

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 HSFO supply tight in ARA
Bunker fuel supply remains tight in Malta, Piraeus and Istanbul
LSMGO tight in Durban and Richards Bay

Northwest Europe

Prompt supply of HSFO is said to be tight in the ARA bunkering hub, requiring lead times of around 7-9 days. Suppliers’ barges are encountering loading delays there, a trader says.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have averaged 13% higher in the first three weeks of this month. The region has imported around 217,000 b/d of fuel oil so far this month, down from 243,000 b/d imported in October, according to cargo tracker Vortexa.

Turkey has become the ARA's biggest fuel oil import source this month. Fuel oil imports from Turkey accounted for 32% of the ARA's total imports this month, followed by the UK (26%), Germany (8%), Belgium (7%) and Ivory Coast (6%).

Meanwhile, the ARA’s independent gasoil inventories - which include diesel and heating oil – declined by 5% on the month, according to Insights Global data.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is said to be normal off Skaw, a source says. Lead times of 7-10 days are advised for both grades. However, HSFO supply is still tight for prompt delivery dates, the source adds.

In Germany’s Hamburg port, lead times of 3-5 days are recommended for all the three bunker fuel grades amid good availability, a trader says.

Mediterranean

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO grades is said to be normal in Gibraltar, with recommended lead times of 5-7 days.

Minimal congestion was reported in Gibraltar and Algeciras on Wednesday. One supplier was experiencing delays of 12-24 hours in Algeciras on Wednesday morning, according to port agent MH Bland.

Securing prompt bunker fuel deliveries can be difficult in Malta. The mediterranean port has been experiencing adverse weather conditions since Saturday. Bunkering was progressing only in bunkering area 3 on Wednesday morning amid rough weather conditions, according to a source.

Rough weather conditions have also impacted port operations in Istanbul, creating severe congestion in the port this week, a source says. Supply of all bunker fuel grades is said to be tight for prompt delivery dates.

Bunker fuel supply is also tight in the Greek port of Piraeus, a trader says.

Africa

LSMGO supply remains tight in the South African ports of Richards Bay and Durban. Recommended lead times for the grade are more than ten days at both ports, according to a trader.

Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for VLSFO deliveries in these ports.

Meanwhile, offshore bunkering has been suspended at the Algoa Bay anchorage for more than a month now. Bunker deliveries came to a standstill there after the South African Revenue Service (SARS) detained bunker barges over import duty disputes in September.

Discussions are ongoing between bunker suppliers and the South African authorities to resolve the bunkering crisis in the bay, a port agent said. The outcome of these discussions is expected to be announced next month, the port agent said.

Meanwhile, bunkering is progressing normally in the adjacent Port Elizabeth.

By Manjula Nair

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
|Published: 23 November, 2023

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Bunker Fuel

ENGINE: Western Australian ports to face bunker shortage as barge dry docks

Bunker barge operating in ports of Fremantle and Kwinana will be in dry dock from early September to mid-November, making VLSFO and LSMGO unavailable by barge at these ports during this period.

Published

1 day ago

September 9, 2024

Admin

A bunker barge operating in the Western Australian ports of Fremantle and Kwinana will be in dry dock from early September to mid-November, making VLSFO and LSMGO unavailable by barge at these ports during this period, a source says.

The bunker barge Absolute 1 is the sole operating barge in this region, according to data from fuel labs that ENGINE has access to.

Although VLSFO will not be available at these ports, LSMGO can be supplied at berth, the source notes.

By Tuhin Roy

Source: ENGINE
Photo credit: MarineTraffic / Graeme Waller
Published: 9 September, 2024

Bunker Fuel Availability

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (5 September 2024)

Bunker report panellists include Island Oil Limited, Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Monjasa A/S and KPI OceanConnect.

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2024

Admin

Baltic Exchange: Bunker Report (5 September 2024)

The following bunker report has been provided by freight market information provider Baltic Exchange for post on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

Note:

All values are in US$/metric ton, all-in (invoice price), delivered on board
Delivery in 7-10 days
ISO 8217:2010
IFO 380 3.5% Sulphur
IFO 380 0.5% Sulphur
DMA 0.1% Sulphur

Rotterdam – Waalhaven – Maasvlakte range
Houston – Houston Harbor
Singapore – Anchorage, under SBA Scheme
Fujairah – Offshore Anchorage Area

Submitted weekly at Close of Business UK time, on Tuesday & Thursdays

Panellists:
Island Oil Limited, Cockett Marine Oil Pte, Monjasa A/S, KPI OceanConnect

Photo credit and source: Baltic Exchange
Published: 6 September, 2024

Bunker Fuel

ENGINE: Americas Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (5 Sep 2024)

Availability is tight in West Coast ports; rough weather disrupts GOLA bunkering; VLSFO is trading lower in Vila do Conde and Rio de Janeiro compared to Santos’.

Published

4 days ago

September 6, 2024

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:

Availability is tight in West Coast port
Rough weather disrupts GOLA bunkering
VLSFO is trading lower in Vila do Conde and Rio de Janeiro compared to Santos'

North Americas

Bunker demand was slow in the early part of this week in Houston and several other locations along the US Gulf Coast, but picked up slightly as the week progressed, a source said.

Availability of all fuel grades has been good for prompt dates. Most suppliers can offer VLSFO and LSMGO stems with a lead time of five days in Houston. Prompt HSFO supply is tight and lead times of 7-8 days are recommended for the grade.

Prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is also available in Bolivar Roads and Beaumont. However, bunker deliveries in both locations are subject to weather conditions and the availability of anchorage space, a source says.

Bunkering operations in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) were suspended on Thursday due to wind gusts of 28 knots. A brief window of calmer weather later in the day may allow bunkering to resume temporarily before conditions worsen again by Friday evening. Wind speeds are forecast to increase further and touch 43 knots by Saturday.

Suppliers in GOLA have faced intermittent bunkering suspension since Tuesday due to unstable weather conditions.

At the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA), there has been good demand for VLSFO and LSMGO for non-prompt delivery dates, and most suppliers are comfortable to offer stems for these dates.

All grades are tight for prompt delivery dates in the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Most suppliers require more than seven days of lead time to deliver VLSFO and LSMGO stems in the ports. Securing HSFO can be even more difficult, as only a few suppliers offer the grade.

In the East Coast port of New York, all grades are available for prompt delivery dates.

Caribbean and Latin America

Bunker fuel demand has been good in Panama's Balboa and Cristobal. Product availability is also good in both locations, with several suppliers able to supply all fuel grades with a lead time of 3-5 days in Balboa, and a slightly longer lead time of about 6-7 days in Cristobal.

VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered promptly in Jamaica’s Kingston. HSFO can be secured on a subject to enquiry basis, a source says.

Bunker operations were running normally in Zona Comun on Thursday morning. However, rough weather conditions are forecast from Friday onwards and may impact barge deliveries.

Two weeks ago, Zona Comun was trading at a rare premium over Santos due to tight delivery schedules caused by weather-related disruptions. These disruptions caused delays and reduced the availability of bunkering services in the area, driving prices up.

However, with refinery supply now steady and demand below average, suppliers in Zona Comun have been able to deliver more promptly. This has improved buyers' choice and availability and contributed to lowering prices. With weather-related disruptions again, availability could tighten again.

Bunker fuel availability has been normal in the Brazilian port of Santos. Several suppliers can offer VLSFO and LSMGO stems with a lead time of 3-4 days in the port.

A supplier in Brazil has lowered its VLSFO prices in the ports of Vila do Conde and Rio de Janeiro to below its Santos level, which is typically the country's cheapest port to bunker. This pricing strategy is putting pressure on competitors, who are struggling to compete with the lower prices, sources say.

By Debarati Bhattacharjee

Photo credit and source: Baltic Exchange
Published: 6 September, 2024