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ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

ARA gasoil stocks rise on Asian and US inflows; bunkering resumes partly in Gibraltar; prompt supply tight in Nacala amid strong demand.

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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:

15 February 2023

  • ARA gasoil stocks rise on Asian and US inflows
  • Bunkering resumes partly in Gibraltar
  • Prompt supply tight in Nacala amid strong demand

 

Northwest Europe

Prompt supply of LSMGO is said to be tight in the ARA bunkering hub at the moment. The product has a recommended lead time of around four days in Rotterdam, a source says.

Lead times of 4-5 days are advised for VLSFO delivery in Rotterdam, while HSFO requires around 5-6 days. HSFO delivery prospects in the region are subject to enquiries, a source says.

The ARA’s independently held gasoil stocks – which include diesel and heating oil – have averaged 13% higher so far this month than in January. The region’s gasoil inventories have risen to their highest level in the past year and are slightly above their five-year average position for this time of year, according to Insights Global data.

The EU’s ban on imports of refined Russian oil products kicked in with a hard deadline from 5 February and Vortexa has not picked up any gasoil cargo inflows from Russia so far this month.

Saudi Arabia has emerged as the top source for gasoil and diesel imports to the ARA, accounting for 28% of the region’s total this month, Vortexa data shows. In addition to Saudi Arabia, importers in the ARA have pulled large volumes of gasoil and diesel from far-away Indian ports (15% of total) so far this month, and China (14%), and smaller volumes from a range of other sources including Japan (9%), the US and South Korea (7%).

The ARA’s independent fuel oil stocks have averaged 2% lower so far this month than in January and have remained below their five-year average position for the year. No Russian fuel oil cargo imports to the ARA have been picked up by Vortexa since January. This indicates that Russian fuel oil imports were phased out in January, after making up 10% of the ARA’s total in December.

In Germany’s Hamburg, prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal, while HSFO delivery prospects remain subject to enquiry, a source says.

Bunker fuel supply is normal-to-tight for prompt dates off Skaw, requiring lead times of up to seven days, a source says. Securing prompt delivery of HSFO can be difficult there, the source adds.

 

Mediterranean

Bunker deliveries in most Gibraltar Strait ports will remain subject to weather conditions in the coming days as the weather is forecast to deteriorate through this week, sources say.

Bunkering resumed partly on Tuesday in Gibraltar and in the adjacent port of Algeciras. This has helped suppliers to clear some of their backlogs in the region, sources say.

Gibraltar’s bunker backlog halved from 16 vessels on Tuesday morning to eight vessels on Wednesday morning, according to port agent MH Bland. A huge bunker backlog had built in port at the start of this week as bunkering was suspended since Thursday last week.

Suppliers in Gibraltar have been busy clearing their bunker backlog and are not offering new deliveries for prompt dates. One supplier in the region is not fixing new stems until the end of next week.

While the weather remains a concern in Gibraltar and Algeciras this week, several vessels have been diverted to receive bunkers at alternative locations. Alternative bunker locations in the wider Mediterranean region include Las Palmas, Tenerife, Sines, Lisbon, Kali Limenes and Piraeus.

Suppliers in Portuguese and Greek ports have seen an uptick in demand in recent days. Bunker-only calls have increased in the Portuguese ports of Lisbon and Sines.

Demand has also picked up Las Palmas, where one supplier is completely booked for prompt deliveries. Bunker operations are running normally in Las Palmas. Strong winds and high swells are forecast to hit the port on Friday, which could complicate deliveries at its outer anchorage.

Bunkering has been limited in Malta this week, according to MH Bland. Only one in six bunkering areas off Malta are open for supply due to rough weather conditions. Suppliers in Malta are not taking any new offers. A jetty in Valletta has been damaged by rough weather and is expected to limit product loadings and bunkering in Valletta and in bunker locations off Malta for a week, according to sources.

Bunker operations have been suspended in Turkey’s Port of Iskenderun since Monday last week after a deadly earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, according to sources. Iskenderun’s port infrastructure suffered a severe damage from the earthquake, which was followed by a major fire incident on 6 February.

It might take weeks or months for Iskenderun to resume bunkering and other port operations, a source says. Meanwhile, bunkering is progressing as normal in Istanbul, a source says.

 

Africa

Bunkering has been going ahead as normal in Algoa Bay this week amid conducive weather conditions, according to Rennies Ships Agency. There is forecast of favourable weather until Sunday morning.

15 vessels are scheduled to arrive for bunkers in Port Elizabeth and Algoa Bay for the rest of the week, Rennies says.

Bunker fuel availability is said to be normal in Algoa Bay and normal-to-tight in Durban. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries in Durban are around seven days, a source says.

Meanwhile, supply of the two grades is currently tight in Mozambique’s Nacala port amid strong demand, a source says. Five vessels are expected to arrive for bunkers in Nacala this week.

Supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is said to be normal in Mozambique’s capital port city of Maputo. Five vessels are due to arrive for bunkers there this week.

Bunkering deliveries are going ahead as normal across the two ports in Mozambique.

By Shilpa Sharma

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 16 February, 2023

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Methanol

Chimbusco completes bunkering op of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

“COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU” was supplied approximately 900 metric tonnes of methanol marine fuel by Chimbusco in Shanghai on 11 May.

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Chimbusco completes bunkering of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

China Marine Bunker (PetroChina) Co Ltd (Chimbusco) completed a bunkering operation of the first domestically manufactured methanol dual-fuel container ship in Shanghai on 11 May, according to COSCO Shipping on Thursday (15 May). 

COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU was supplied approximately 900 metric tonnes (mt) of methanol marine fuel by Chimbusco at Pier 1 of COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry. 

The operation started on 7 May but was postponed due to unfavourable weather from the Jianghuai Cyclone.

Chimbusco completes bunkering of China’s first 16,000K TEU methanol DF boxship

COSCO Shipping said the operation marked an important achievement in green and low-carbon transformation in shipping, from ship construction and ecological layout of the entire green fuel industry chain of the company. 

Manifold Times previously reported the naming ceremony of China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship, COSCO SHIPPING YANGPU in Yangzhou.

The methanol dual-fuel container ship named was the first in a series of vessels from COSCO Shipping Holdings, constructed by COSCO Shipping Heavy Industry Yangzhou. 

Related: COSCO Shipping names China’s first 16,000 TEU methanol dual-fuel container ship

 

Photo credit: Cosco Shipping
Published: 23 May, 2025

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Malaysia: MMEA detains Thai tanker off Kelantan after shown suspicious documents

Initial checks revealed that insurance documents and other documents related to the vessel appeared suspicious and all six crew members on board failed to provide valid identification documents.

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Malaysia: MMEA detains Thai tanker off Kelantan after shown suspicious documents

The Kelantan Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) on Thursday (22 May) said it has detained a suspicious tanker at about 100 nautical miles from the Tok Bali estuary on 20 May. 

Kelantan MMEA director, Maritime Captain Erwan Shah Soahdi said an MMEA asset had detained the tanker while patrolling the Malaysia-Vietnam border. 

The vessel was detected after displaying several suspicious signs at around 1 pm before it was successfully detained 20 minutes later.

Malaysia: MMEA detains Thai tanker off Kelantan after shown suspicious documents

“Initial checks revealed the vessel has six crew members, including a captain and all are believed to be Thai citizens aged between 38 and 70,” he said.

It was also found that the insurance documents and other documents related to the vessel appeared suspicious and all the crews on board the vessel failed to provide valid identification documents during the check. 

The case is being investigated under the Immigration Act 1959/63 and the Merchant Shipping Ordinance 1952.

 

Photo credit: Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency
Published: 23 May, 2025

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LNG Bunkering

Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Milestone was achieved by Shell’s LNG bunker barge “Haugesund Knutsen” supplying the “Mein Schiff Relax” cruise ship at Port of Barcelona, says Dexter Belmar of Shell.

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Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Energy giant Shell recently conducted its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona, according to Dexter Belmar, General Manager and Head of Global Downstream LNG on Thursday (22 May).

He said the milestone was achieved by Shell’s LNG bunker barge Haugesund Knutsen supplying the Mein Schiff Relax cruise ship.

“Barcelona, one of Europe and the Mediterranean’s leading cruise ports, is also a key LNG bunkering location for Shell as we help more cruise ships transition to lower-emission fuels,” he said in a social media post. 

“A huge thank you to Royal Caribbean Group for their trust, and to Knutsen and Port of Barcelona for their collaboration in making this bunkering safe and efficient.”

Shell wraps up its first LNG bunkering operation for TUI Cruises in Barcelona

Belmar said LNG is leading the way as the preferred alternative bunker fuel in the cruise industry. 

“At Shell, we’re proud to support LNG fuelling needs at 26 locations worldwide, including major cruise ports like Bahamas, Barcelona, Canaveral, Everglades, Jamaica, Miami, Singapore, Southampton, and Tenerife,” he added. 

 

Photo credit: Shell
Published: 23 May, 2025

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