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ENGINE: Global Fuel Availability Outlook

Lead times for Singapore’ VLSFO are longer by one day, while Fujairah is seeing better bunker fuel availability. Gibraltar, Rotterdam and Fujairah remain well supplied.

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The following article regarding global bunker fuel availability outlooks with special attention to availability in Singapore has been provided by online marine fuels procurement platform ENGINE for publication on Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times:

1 July 2021

Lead times for Singapore’ VLSFO are longer by one day, while Fujairah is seeing better bunker fuel availability. Gibraltar, Rotterdam and Fujairah remain well supplied.

Singapore’s total fuel oil stocks have risen to 50.49 million bbls on the week, on the back of higher imports and lower exports, Enterprise Singapore data showed on Thursday.

Fuel oil stocks rose by 2% to 23.95 million bbls in the bunkering hub, with lead times for VLSFO stems longer by one day to 7-8 days now, despite the weekly stockdbuild.

Lead times for HSFO380 and LSMGO are however steady for another week in the port. LSMGO stems continues to require 4-5 days of lead time, and HSFO380 up to 10 days.

Singapore’s fuel oil imports rose to a three-week high and remaining significantly higher from May’s weekly average for another week. At the same time, the bunkering hub’s fuel oil exports dropped to their lowest levels in three weeks.

The price difference between HSFO380 and VLSFO – the Hi5 spread – has been averaging around $120/mt this week in Singapore, with a lot of market volatility affecting bunker prices.

In Fujairah, bunker fuels are more readily available this week with lead times dropping for all three fuel grades. VLSFO and LSMGO stems now require 3-4 days each down from six days last week, which are now among the shortest across global bunkering hubs. More days are usually recommended for HSFO380 stems to ensure timely delivery.

The UAE bunker hub’s heavy distillate and fuel oil inventories fell by another 8% this week, to stand at 11.86 million bbls- their lowest levels in 11 weeks, data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone (FOIZ) and S&P Global Platts showed.

Gibraltar was congested in the beginning of the week with 5 vessels waiting to receive bunkers on Monday, as a supplier’s barges were delayed supplying vessels that were already in the port.

The backlog was quickly cleared without a significant number of vessels waiting to bunker in Gibraltar for the rest of the week. There were no vessels waiting to bunker neither delays in Algeciras and Ceuta either.

Gibraltar and ports in the Mediterranean remain well supplied without any disruptions, with product available for prompt delivery.

VLSFO and LSMGO are widely available in Rotterdam as well, and times for HSFO380 are considerably shorter at around three days in the ARA bunkering hub than the 8-10 days recommended in Singapore and Fujairah.  Fujairah and Singapore.

Gibraltar’s bunker prices were more resilient to Brent losses at the beginning of the week, resulting into the VLSFO price spread between Gibraltar and Rotterdam widening by $6/mt to $16/mt on Monday.

Fuel oil stocks have dropped to 12-week lows in the US, recording stockdraws across all regions, data from the EIA showed this week.

HSMajor bunker ports along the US Gulf Coast ports have readily available stems of all grades this week.  FO380 remains in tight supply across the US West Coast, including Los Angeles, Long Beach. Suppliers in Vancouver were replenished last week, but availability for prompt dates can still be tight.

The US has produced less fuel oil this week, led by large production drops in the West Coast and the Midwest, at 20,000 b/d and 6,000 b/d respectively, but production has increased in the Gulf Coast by 4,000 b/d.

 

Photo credit: Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash
Published: 2 July, 2021

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Alternative Fuels

ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

Company contracted Sasaki Shipbuilding to build the 5,000 m3 vessel and Izumi Steel Works to construct an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel, which is expected to be delivered in 2027.

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ITOCHU orders world’s first ammonia bunkering vessel for Singapore demonstration project

ITOCHU Corporation (ITOCHU) on Monday (14 July) announced that it recently signed a shipbuilding contract for the construction of a 5,000 m3 ammonia bunkering vessel with Sasaki Shipbuilding. 

The company also announced an agreement regarding the construction of an ammonia tank plant that will be loaded onto the vessel with Izumi Steel Works. 

These agreements were signed by Clean Ammonia Bunkering Shipping Pte Ltd (CABS), a wholly owned Singapore-based specific purpose company of ITOCHU. 

In relation to this, CABS has concluded a financing agreement with The Hiroshima Bank for financing a part of purchase price of the vessel.

The agreements were concluded to pursue the Demonstration Project for Bunkering Ammonia as Marine Fuel in Singapore adopted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in Japan as part of the Global South Future-oriented Co-Creation Project (large-scale demonstration in ASEAN member states). 

Going forward, with an eye toward the demonstration of ammonia bunkering in Singapore after building the world’s first newbuilding ammonia bunkering vessel, ITOCHU said efforts will be made to facilitate concrete discussions with the maritime stakeholders, including the port authority in Singapore, the Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), and the fuel producers, while obtaining support from the Japanese Government.

The vessel is to be flagged under the Singapore Registry and is expected to be delivered in September 2027.

ITOCHU will establish a safe offshore bunkering operation of ammonia as marine fuel by way of ship-to-ship transfer through the development and construction of the vessel and demonstration. 

Then, by utilising the vessel, ITOCHU will establish connection between the first movers in clean ammonia production and the first movers in the ammonia-fueled vessels and secure initial demand for ammonia as marine fuel, aiming at the commercialisation of ammonia bunkering business in Singapore and expansion of similar business model to major maritime transportation points around the world, including Spain (Strait of Gibraltar), Egypt (Suez Canal) and Japan.

 

Photo credit: ITOCHU Corporation
Published: 15 July 2025

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Business

S@S Week 2025: Singapore conducts chemical spill exercise to gear up for methanol bunkering

Exercise simulated a methanol spill from a collision involving a methanol-carrying tanker off Singapore’s southern coast, triggering a multi-agency response which included spill containment.

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RESIZED bunker tanker singapore

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) on Tuesday (15 July) conducted a multi-agency chemical spill exercise to strengthen Singapore’s operational readiness, as part of the International Safety@Sea (S@S) Week. 

MPA is organising the 12th edition of the S@S Week, with this year’s event being the international edition, taking place from 15 to 18 July 2025. 

Conducted off Singapore’s southern coast, the exercise involved 11 vessels and over 150 personnel from more than 10 government agencies and industry partners. Mr Murali, Mr Dominguez and Secretary-General, International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation, Mr Francis Zachariae, observed the exercise.

The exercise simulated a methanol spill from a collision involving a methanol-carrying tanker, triggering a multi-agency response. This included coordinated efforts for spill containment and the evacuation of injured crew. A range of drone-enabled technologies was trialled during the exercise, including 3D imaging to assess vessel damage and a water curtain misting system to limit the spread of chemical plumes. An Uncrewed Surface Vehicle was also deployed to monitor air quality, reducing the need for responders to enter hazardous zones to perform such monitoring. The Maritime Digital Twin and chemical plume modelling tools were used to enhance situational awareness and support decision-making throughout the exercise.

The exercise is part of MPA’s broader preparations for methanol bunkering and provided a valuable opportunity for agencies and industry partners to better understand the safety and operational challenges, and potential solutions, in handling alternative fuels. Following an open call in March 2025, MPA has received 13 applications for methanol bunker supplier licenses, reflecting strong industry interest in supplying methanol on a commercial scale in Singapore. MPA is evaluating the applications and targets to issue the licenses in Q4 2025, which will cover the period from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2030. 

Themed ‘The Future of Maritime Safety: Navigating the Next Frontier’, the annual event brings together local and international maritime experts, and the maritime community to promote awareness and facilitate discussions on maritime safety. 

Speaking at the opening today, Mr Murali Pillai, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, said that the maritime sector is facing increasingly complex global challenges, including heightened geopolitical tensions, climate change, and rapid transformation in digitalisation and decarbonisation. He highlighted that we can tackle these challenges by (i) equipping our workforce for future challenges, (ii) harnessing collective expertise through close collaborations and partnerships, and (iii) drawing upon technology and innovation to augment our capabilities. 

In his keynote address, Mr Arsenio Dominguez, Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), underscored the need for robust safety frameworks and regulations as the maritime landscape evolves. He cited Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships and new ship designs and systems using sustainable marine fuels as examples of how the maritime sector is transforming and outlined IMO’s priorities in those areas. Mr Dominguez also highlighted the importance of government-industry collaboration and initiatives like the Safety@Sea Singapore Campaign to foster a safety-first culture at sea.  

This year’s conference features 19 speakers across three plenaries. Discussions will focus on issues shaping the future of maritime safety, including lessons learned from past incidents, and the human element in ensuring safety as the industry transforms. A new Safety@Sea Community Conversations event will also bring together representatives from shipping companies, regional ferry operators, harbour craft operators and terminal operators to share their experiences and efforts in fostering a safety culture in their organisations. 

Over 1,800 participants from more than 40 countries are expected to participate in the week’s sessions. Other highlights include the Responders Plus Programme (RPP) Maritime Workshop jointly organised by MPA and the Singapore Civil Defence Force, and two safety forums organised by the MPA-Harbour Craft and MPA-Pleasure Craft Safety Work Groups to promote safety awareness and best practices within the local maritime community. 

MPA is also enhancing safety across other areas of port operations. In collaboration with Skyports Drone Services, TFG Marine and CBS Ventures, MPA and the partners will complete Singapore’s first shore-to-ship drone trials for delivery and retrieval operations from bunker tankers later this week. 

The use of drones reduces reliance on harbour craft for such operations, improving efficiency while reducing pollution and congestion. 

It also minimises safety risks by removing the need for crew to handle and transfer heavy items between the ship and shore using harbour craft. Safety considerations, including the management of electrostatic discharge risks during the drone operations, are carefully reviewed in preparation for the trials. 

Findings from these trials will inform the development of safety protocols and an operational framework to support the phased implementation of this new maritime service.

 

Photo credit: Manifold Times
Published: 15 July 2025

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Biofuel

Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line, represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region; operation also included a simultaneous delivery of B30-HSFO.

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Chimbusco Pan Nation delivers first B30-MGO bio bunker fuel blend supply in Hong Kong

Hong Kong-based marine fuel oil supplier Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical (CPN) on Friday (11 July) announced the first-ever delivery of a B30-Marine Gasoil (B30-MGO) which consists of 30% biodiesel and 70% Marine Gasoil (MGO), in Hong Kong. 

The supply, delivered to Orient Overseas Container Line (OOCL), represents the first time OOCL has received this fuel blend in the region.

In addition to the B30-MGO, this operation included a simultaneous delivery of B30-High Sulphur Marine Fuel Oil.

“This delivery, completed on 11 July, solidifies CPN’s leadership in advancing green fuel solutions in East Asia. Being the first bunker supplier in the region capable of providing all grades of ISCC-EU Certified marine biofuel, including marine fuel and gas oil, CPN demonstrates its commitment to supporting the maritime industry’s transition to sustainable energy,” the company said on its website. 

 

Photo credit: Chimbusco Pan Nation Petro-Chemical
Published: 15 July, 2025

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