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:

• Fog season impacting US Gulf Coast bunkering
• Prompt availability improves in West Coast ports
• Rough weather causing delays in New York

North America

Bunker fuel availability in Houston remains tight across all grades, according to a source. High winds over the last few days have created some backlogs by delaying bunker deliveries in the port.

Deliveries can remain suspended due to high wind gusts until 10 January, a source said. Suppliers generally require lead times of 7-9 days for VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries in Houston, while HSFO could take more than nine days.

Dense fog and reduced visibility around the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) have disrupted bunker deliveries. “Prolonged delays are expected over the next several days due to high winds [around GOLA],” a source said.

The New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA) also faces fog-related disruptions, similar to GOLA. Fog conditions in the anchorage area depend heavily on wind directions. Southerly winds from the Gulf typically result in fog, while colder, northerly winds keep visibility clear.

On the West Coast, prompt bunker availability has improved in Los Angeles and Long Beach in January, with suppliers recommending lead times of seven days for VLSFO and LSMGO.

On the East Coast, availability for VLSFO and LSMGO is good in New York, but bunkering operations may be suspended this week due to rough weather, causing potential delays, a source said. Standby tugs may be required at certain times, the source added.

High wind gusts could suspend bunker deliveries in Canada’s Montreal.

Caribbean and Latin America

Demand remains strong in the Panamanian ports of Balboa and Cristobal, amid tight availability across all grades. Suppliers require lead times of more than seven days to secure stems.

The Colombian ports of Santa Marta, Barranquilla and Cartagena have seen more demand in recent days, tightening availability. December and January are the months with the highest demand, a source remarked.

Bunker operations at Argentina’s Zona Común anchorage may face some disruptions due to rough weather and strong wind gusts. Prompt VLSFO availability is tight at the anchorage, with lead times of at least seven days advised, a source said.

By Aparupa Mazumder

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 10 January, 2024

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:

• High LSMGO demand in the ARA
• Bunker supply good in Lisbon
• LSMGO still dry in Durban

Northwest Europe

HSFO supply is still tight for very prompt delivery dates in Rotterdam and other ARA ports, a trader said. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for the grade.

VLSFO and LSMGO supply is good in Rotterdam, with lead times of 3-5 days advised for full coverage from suppliers. LSMGO demand has been on the increase in the ARA recently, according to a source.

The ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks increased 9% in December compared to November, according to Insights Global data.

The region imported 161,000 b/d of fuel oil in December, significantly down from 301,000 b/d imported in November, according to data from cargo tracker Vortexa.

The UK (27% of the total) was the ARA's biggest fuel oil import source in December, followed by Poland (17%), Denmark (13%), Germany (11%) and Colombia (9%).

The ARA hub’s independent gasoil inventories - which include diesel and heating oil - held steady in December. The region imported 238,000 b/d of gasoil and diesel in December, down from 359,000 b/d imported in November, according to Vortexa data.

Workers in the French ports of Saint-Nazaire and Montoir will go on strike on and off for four hours at a time this month, a trade union has announced according to GAC Hot Port News. The trade union will also hold a two-day strike, starting on 3 February.

The strikes could impact bunkering in these ports, a trader told ENGINE, adding that bunker demand in France is currently weak. 

Germany’s Hamburg port has good bunker supply across VLSFO, HSFO and LSMGO. A trader advised lead times of 3-5 days for all three grades. 

Mediterranean

Bunker availability is good in Gibraltar, with recommended lead times of 3-5 days for all three grades, a source said. Gibraltar witnessed adverse weather intermittently last week, which continued into Monday. This led to severe congestion in the port until Tuesday, when the congestion began easing. Bunker deliveries have been proceeding smoothly since.

Rough weather could impact bunkering in Gibraltar on Wednesday and Thursday, with strong wind gusts of up to 23 knots forecast in the port area.   

The Canary Islands' port of Las Palmas is still struggling with tightness in supply for all three grades, a trader said. Lead times of 5-7 days are recommended for optimal coverage.

Meanwhile, Portugal’s Lisbon and Sines have good bunker supply with ample availability of all grades, according to a trader. 

Suppliers in the Greek port of Piraeus are witnessing very weak demand despite good availability across fuel grades, a trader told ENGINE. Some suppliers are able to offer prompt delivery dates.

Turkey’s Istanbul has normal supply of VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO. Lead times of 3-4 days are advised by traders across. Demand has been moderate recently with very few stems being booked, a trader said. 

Bunker demand is stable off Malta, where availability is good for all grades, a trader said. Lead times of 4-5 days are recommended. Bunkering disruptions may occur off Malta on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday when rough weather is forecast in the area. 

Africa

VLSFO availability is tight for prompt supply in South Africa’s Durban and Richards Bay, a trader told ENGINE. Lead times of 7-10 days are advised for the grade in both ports. 

Securing LSMGO is a challenge in Durban as it continues to be dry in the port, according to a trader. 

Mauritius’ Port Louis has good availability across VLSFO, HSFO and LSMGO, with prompt availability offered by suppliers. Rough weather is forecast in Port Louis from Friday to Monday, which may impact bunkering. 

Bunkering is normal in Mozambique’s Nacala and Maputo ports and has not been impacted by the civil unrest in the urban areas, a source told ENGINE. Nacala has good availability of all three grades, while Maputo has normal supply of VLSFO and LSMGO. 

Bunker demand in Mozambique is recovering now after a decline in the last two weeks during Christmas and the New Year, a source said. Overall, bunker demand was subdued in December compared to the previous year, the source added. 

By Manjula Nair

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 9 January, 2025

Naval architect firm Robert Allan on Thursday (2 January) said Canadian Port of Prince Rupert has recently welcomed the startup of Wolverine Terminals’ marine bunkering service for deep sea shipping, thus adding a key logistical capability to this strategic deepwater port on the west coast of Canada. 

Using a pair of barges designed by Robert Allan, Wolverine Terminals can deliver a wide range of fuels to suit the needs of vessels calling at the port, including marine diesel, heavy, intermediate, and other blends to individual customer specifications. 

By introducing this new service, deep-sea ships may now bunker at this key and growing gateway to North America, which features favourably short trading routes to Asia and access to a supply of domestically produced fuels delivered by rail.

The Wolverine Terminals fleet is composed of a transloading barge and a fuel delivery (lightering) barge.

Wolverine Spirit 1, the 142-metre long transloading barge, has been custom-designed to accept up to twenty-four rail tank-cars on deck. These are loaded using a marine rail ramp in Prince Rupert with maximum efficiency using four rail lanes with a pair of onboard turnouts (switches) – a novel arrangement on a rail barge. 

Combined with a high-performance ballasting system and Wolverine’s dedicated locomotive, this barge can onboard a full set of railcars during a single tide. Once loaded and secured, the Transloading Barge is moved using tugs from the loading ramp to the Wolverine Terminals project site, where once moored, the railcars can be drained into the barge’s hull tanks, which have a combined capacity of nearly 80,000 barrels of oil products.

Wolverine Spirit 2, the 78-metre long lightering barge, receives fuels from the Transloading Barge, and is towed to client vessels in harbour where it delivers fuel to their individual requirements. With a capacity of approximately 30,000 barrels of products, this barge can efficiently deliver fuels to ocean-going vessels at up to 450 m3/hr.

Both barges are fully compliant with Transport Canada regulations and are classed for their service with Lloyds Register. Attention has been paid to keep all potential sources of emissions low, with IMO Tier III compliant exhausts equipped with after-treatment, silencing for all diesel-fired machinery, vapour recovery for the cargo systems, and low-intensity lighting.

Related: Wolverine Terminals begins commercial operations at marine bunkering facility

Photo credit: Robert Allan
Published: 8 January, 2025