Business
ENGINE: Europe & Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook
Prompt VLSFO supply tight in Rotterdam; bunkering resumes at Las Palmas’ outer anchorage; refinery restart to boost South African VLSFO supply.

Published
7 months agoon
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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:
24 May, 2023
- Prompt VLSFO supply tight in Rotterdam
- Bunkering resumes at Las Palmas’ outer anchorage
- Refinery restart to boost South African VLSFO supply
Northwest Europe
Bunker supply is said to be normal in Rotterdam, but securing prompt delivery of VLSFO can be slightly difficult as some suppliers are running low on stocks, a source says. Availability of HSFO and LSMGO has improved in the last two weeks.
Independently held gasoil stocks in the ARA averaged 5% higher in the first three weeks of May than across April.
India emerged as the ARA’s top gasoil import source this month. Gasoil imports from the country have accounted for 25% of the region’s total so far this month, according to cargo tracker Vortexa.
Other gasoil import sources for the ARA were Saudi Arabia (16%), the UAE (14%), the US and Kuwait (7%).
Bunker fuel availability is said to be tight for prompt dates in Flushing.
Supply across all fuel grades is normal in the German port of Hamburg. Lead times of around 5-6 days are recommended for VLSFO, HSFO and LSMGO there, a source says.
Mediterranean
Bunker fuel availability is said to be normal in Gibraltar, but fixing prompt deliveries of HSFO can be slightly difficult, a source says. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for good coverage from suppliers, the source adds. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO are 4-6 days and 3-5 days out, respectively.
Meanwhile, VLSFO supply is under pressure for prompt delivery days in Algeciras, where one supplier is fully booked, according to a source. Supply of VLSFO and LSMGO grades is normal in Ceuta.
Minimal congestion was reported in Gibraltar, Algeciras and Ceuta on Wednesday, according to port agent MH Bland. One supplier in Gibraltar and two in Algeciras were behind schedule on Wednesday.
In Las Palmas, suppliers have resumed bunker deliveries at the port’s outer anchorage after being hampered by bad weather in the last few days, MH Bland says. The weather “seems suitable this week to take bunkers at outer anchorage,” the port agent adds.
Bunker operations are also running normally in the nearby port of Tenerife.
Bunker fuel supply across all grades is said to be normal in Malta. Some suppliers can offer deliveries for prompt dates off Malta, a source says.
Fixing prompt VLSFO stems can be difficult in the Greek port of Piraeus this week, but supply of other grades is normal, another source says.
Africa
Supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is said to be normal in Durban and Algoa Bay. However, stems require lead times of up to seven days in both locations, a source says.
Bunkering is progressing normally in Algoa Bay, according to Rennies Ships Agency. Strong winds and high swells are forecast to hit the bay in periods between Thursday and Friday, which could delay operations.
Availability of VLSFO is expected to improve in Cape Town and Richards Bay with the restart of Astron Energy's refinery. The company’s nameplate 100,000 b/d refinery just north of Cape Town has recently resumed operations after being offline for nearly three years, Reuters reported. The refinery was shut down in 2020 after a major fire. The refinery used to produce VLSFO and other fuels for bunker supply in Cape Town and Richards Bay, a source says.
Prompt supply of VLSFO and LSMGO is said to be normal in Mozambique’s Nacala port. But VLSFO is tight for prompt delivery in Maputo, a source says.
By Shilpa Sharma
Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 25 May, 2023
Biofuel
China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers completes first biofuel bunkering op of passenger ship in Dalian
Firm successfully refuelled passenger ship “Chang Shan Dao” owned by Cosco Shipping Ferry with B24 bio bunker fuel on 29 November at Dalian Cruise Port.

Published
2 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co., Ltd. on Wednesday (29 November) successfully refuelled passenger ship "Chang Shan Dao" owned by Cosco Shipping Ferry Co., Ltd. with B24 bio bunker fuel at the Dalian Cruise Port.
The occasion marked the first biofuel bunkering operation for passenger ships in China.
The B24 biofuel oil used was blended with 24% biofuel and 76% conventional low-sulphur fuel oil.
Sinopec China Shipping Fuel Supply, which is responsible for the bunkering operation, is a bunker supply firm jointly established by Sinopec Group and COSCO Shipping Group.
According to Li Zhi, Deputy Party Secretary and Deputy General Manager of China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers Co., Ltd., the biofuel bunkering business is another step in the company's active business of the group's development strategy.
The bunkering operation after the firm completed the first bonded biofuel bunkering operation of a domestic ship on 7 September.
Disclaimer: The above article published by Manifold Times was sourced from China’s domestic market through a local correspondent. While considerable efforts have been taken to verify its accuracy through a professional translator and processed from sources believed to be reliable, no warranty is made regarding the accuracy, completeness and reliability of any information.
Photo credit: China Shipping & Sinopec Suppliers
Published: 8 December, 2023
Alternative Fuels
Singapore, Tianjin to pilot and trial alternative bunker fuels following shipping corridor MoU
Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will serve as a valuable testbed for both countries to pilot and trial digital solutions, alternative fuels and technologies, amongst others.

Published
2 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the People’s Republic of China’s Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission on Wednesday (6 December) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to establish the Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.
Mr Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive, MPA, and Mr Wang Zhinan, Director General, Tianjin Municipal Transportation Commission, signed this MoU.
The MoU marked the first Green and Digital Shipping Corridor established between Singapore and China to support the decarbonisation, digitalisation and growth of the maritime industry between Singapore and the Bohai Region.
The Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor will serve as a valuable testbed for both countries to pilot and trial digital solutions, alternative bunker fuels and technologies, and facilitate talent development to support the decarbonisation and digitalisation of shipping.
Singapore and Tianjin will work with the research community, the institutes of higher learning, and industry stakeholders such as shipping lines, port operators, shipbuilders, classification societies, and bunker suppliers to enable more efficient port clearance through digital exchanges, encourage the offtake of zero or near-zero greenhouse gas emission fuels and adoption of new fuel technologies, spur innovation and support the growth of the maritime startups community, and facilitate manpower training and professional development.
The establishment of the Singapore – Tianjin Green and Digital Shipping Corridor reaffirms the strong commitment by Singapore and Tianjin to accelerate maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation. Singapore will also be exploring the establishment of similar collaboration with other maritime and port ecosystems within China.
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 8 December, 2023
Decarbonisation
Report highlights routes-based action plan methodology to accelerate uptake of clean bunker fuels
NextGEN Connect-GreenVoyage2050 collaboration, which includes Singapore, emphasises the important role of regional energy hubs in enabling the inclusive adoption of clean marine fuels.

Published
2 days agoon
December 8, 2023By
Admin
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Thursday (7 December) said the NextGEN Connect-Green Voyage2050 Project identified a key role for regional hubs to help connect large demand clusters and remote locations, with regional fuel supply sources, in order to enable a more inclusive and effective transition to a low-carbon maritime future.
The project is a collaboration between Singapore, Norway and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
These findings were unveiled in the Lloyd’s Register Maritime Decarbonisation Hub (LR MDH) report titled Routes-based Action Plans: A Toolkit launched at the Voyage to Net-Zero Forum, which was organised by MPA, at the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28/CMP8/CMA5) yesterday.
The report was developed following a workshop discussion that was held from 5 to 6 October 2023 in Singapore, with the participation of 40 stakeholders representing ports and National Administrations across Asia, based on the concept of the LR MDH’s First Movers Framework for green corridors. The workshop simulated the process steps of the routes-based action plan methodology, addressing the limitations in its application in the wider Asian context. Additional engagements with stakeholders from the Pacific are envisaged to further refine the methodology.
“One of the key findings in our report highlighted the varying pace of decarbonisation efforts across the Asian region and the need for regional coordination among governments to establish energy clusters that will serve both as demand centres and energy producing hubs” said Charles Haskell, Director at LR MDH.
The creation of energy producing hubs includes defining a strategy that brings together demand from different countries at different developmental stages across the region to build up investment cases for implementing energy infrastructure at scale, all the while taking into consideration the economic and social benefits for local communities.
The report also emphasised that routes-based action plans should be steered by national governments to give confidence to the industry’s infrastructure investment decisions, with development banks and regional funds needing to play a part to help tailor financing solutions to support infrastructure development.
“If we truly want to achieve a net-zero future where no one is left behind, we cannot focus only on existing first mover initiatives. We must also study locations where the energy infrastructure is still in its infancy”, added Charles Haskell.
Essential to driving the implementation of routes-based action plans, as highlighted in the report, is the pooling of resources and capacity building to develop the business case for building the necessary infrastructure for regional hubs that include Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This will require regional coordination and collaboration involving governments and all stakeholders across the maritime supply chain.
Mr. Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA, said: “As we steer toward a sustainable maritime future, fostering a collective and inclusive approach is imperative in the development of green corridors and the energy transition to decarbonise international shipping.”
“The NextGEN Connect-GreenVoyage2050 collaboration emphasises the important role of regional energy hubs in enabling the inclusive adoption of clean marine fuels, particularly for LDCs and SIDSs. MPA looks forward to continuing its collaboration with IMO, Ministry of Climate and Environment of Norway and LR MDH to pilot solutions to reduce GHG emissions from ships and drive innovative transformations in the maritime industry.”
Sveinung Oftedal, Chief Negotiator of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, said: “Separate routes for emission-free ferries and ships can play an essential role in stimulating early action to adopt zero or near-zero emission technologies and fuels, and hence are an important step towards decarbonising shipping. There is currently a significant volume of maritime traffic between Asian countries, and our workshop was a great forum to discuss opportunities the decarbonisation of maritime shipping can bring and how efforts can be linked to countries’ wider energy transition.”
Jose Matheickal, IMO Director of Partnerships and Projects, said: “Supporting developing countries, including SIDS and LDCs, in their efforts to implement the 2023 IMO Strategy on the Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships is imperative to the decarbonisation of the maritime sector. IMO is pleased to provide, through this collaboration, practical support around the development and subsequent implementation of National Action Plans and route-based actions in line with IMO’s MEPC RESOLUTION.366(79) that encourages Member States to undertake these voluntary actions to facilitate the achievement of greener shipping and reduced emissions.”
Note: ‘Routes-based action Plans: a toolkit’ can be found here.
Photo credit: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
Published: 8 December, 2023

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