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ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: Bio-blends at a hefty price tag

Higher Brent drives VLSFO prices higher; Rotterdam’s LNG back at a discount to VLSFO; bio-blends now much costlier than LNG.

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ENGINE on Fuel Switch Snapshot: Bio-blends at a hefty price tag

Once a week, bunker intelligence platform ENGINE will publish a snapshot of alternative and conventional bunker fuel prices in the world’s two biggest bunkering hubs. The following is the latest snapshot:

  • Higher Brent drives VLSFO prices higher
  • Rotterdam's LNG back at a discount to VLSFO
  • Bio-blends now much costlier than LNG

VLSFO benchmarks in Rotterdam and Singapore have jumped by $19/mt and $16/mt, respectively, over the past week. A rise in front-month ICE Brent futures has supported VLSFO values upwards.

Rotterdam's sharp VLSFO price rise has taken the grade from a $13/mt discount to LNG to a $6/mt premium now.

When we include estimated EU Allowance (EUA) costs for voyages between two EU ports, LNG is now $12/mt cheaper than VLSFO in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam’s B24-VLSFO premium over LNG has gone up by $21/mt in the past week, to $180/mt. B24-VLSFO is $170-175/mt costlier than LNG when we add estimated EUA costs to bunker fuel prices, which penalise biofuel blends slightly less than LNG.

This means that fossil LNG is a much cheaper alternative to B24-VLSFO blends for ships with dual-fuel engines bunkering in Rotterdam. And this is true even when we include the estimated costs of complying with the EU ETS regulation.

HSFO remains the most affordable option for scrubber-fitted ships.

VLSFO

Brent futures rose above $87/bbl on Friday, supported by mounting tensions between Israel and Hezbollah and concerns that global oil supplies could be disrupted by a broader conflict in the Middle East.

This increase appears to have boosted Singapore and Rotterdam's VLSFO prices.

Availability of the grade in Rotterdam remains normal. It has improved a bit in Singapore, with suppliers indicating lead times of 4-9 days, compared with 7-17 days the week prior.

Biofuels

Biofuel bunker blend prices in Rotterdam and other ARA ports are up by $20-21/mt with support from rising values for both conventional (+$19-20/mt) and bio (+$23/mt) components.

The price of B30-VLSFO UCOME ARA has risen in tandem with that of B30-VLSFO HBE Rotterdam in the past week, and the UCOME blend is still unattractive at a $67/mt premium over the rebated HBE price.

UCOME-based B24-VLSFO is the go-to biofuel bunker grade in Gibraltar and Algeciras, and it has risen by $19/mt in the past week. That widens its premium over Singapore’s equivalent grade to $67/mt.

Singapore's $13/mt gain for B24-VLSFO outcompetes its B24-LSMGO grade but is still far off the price gains we have seen in the ARA in the past week.

A B24-VLSFO deal was reported in Singapore on Monday at $729/mt, or $8/mt below the benchmark from Friday. No further details of the stem’s size or lead time are known, but it was priced considerably lower than another indication of $745/mt in the market.

LNG

Rotterdam’s VLSFO-equivalent LNG bunker price has remained unchanged at $568/mt in the past week. The bunker price reflects a slight drop in the front-month NYMEX Dutch TTF Natural Gas benchmark, indicating stability in the European gas market.

The price has inched lower by just $1/mt when we take estimated EUA costs into account.

Meanwhile, Singapore’s LNG bunker price has increased by $7/mt in the past week.

A surge in demand across key Asian gas markets can tighten LNG supply, causing suppliers to prioritise deliveries to these high-demand destinations. This can in turn curb availability of LNG for bunkering in Singapore and exert upward pressure on prices.  

By Konica Bhatt

 

Photo credit and source: ENGINE
Published: 2 July 2024

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LNG Bunkering

LNG bunkering at Port of Barcelona increases by 60.5% on year in 2024

Port said 229,750 cubic metre of LNG were supplied at the port in 2024, achieving an increase of 60.5% compared to 2023 and a total of 491 LNG bunkering operations were carried out at the port.

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LNG bunkering at Port of Barcelona increases by 60.5% on year in 2024

The Port of Barcelona on Wednesday (5 February) said 229,750 cubic metre (m³) of LNG were supplied at the port in 2024, achieving an increase of 60.5% compared to 2023.

The Port said the achievement placed Barcelona as the leading port in the state - with 40% of the total m³ of LNG supplied - and one of the first in Europe in LNG bunkering. 

In 2024, a total of 491 LNG bunkering operations were carried out for ships, of which 402 were via tankers trucks, with 45,427 m³ supplied, and 89 were ship-to-ship (STS) transfers from barges, with 184,324 m³ delivered. 

Of the 8,398 ship calls at the Port of Barcelona during 2024, 822 calls were from ships using LNG, about 10% of the total calls at the port.  

The ships that have received LNG bunker fuel in Barcelona have been mainly cruises and ferries, reaching close to 23% and 19% of the calls of both types of ships and contributing to a reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions of 20% for cruises and 18% for ferries. 

The top cruise companies have incorporated LNG-powered ships into their fleets, a good number of which operate regularly in Barcelona. During 2024, a total of 1,664,712 cruise passengers (45.5%) passed through Barcelona on board an LNG-powered cruise ship.

The increase in bunker supply of 60.5% has been possible due to several factors: 

  • the presence of the LNG supply barge based in the Haugesund port Knutsen, from the company Knutsen-Scale Gas,
  • the commitment of the shipping company Baleària to LNG, provided by several tanker trucks at the same time,
  • and the incorporation of new types of ships that use LNG in the port, notably car carriers. The Lake Herman ship, from Japanese shipping company MOL, was the first vehicle carrier to carry out LNG bunkering at the Port of Barcelona, ​​followed by four more ships of the same service, to which two new ships have been added at the beginning of 2025. 

During 2024, the fast ferry Margarita Salas, powered by dual LNG engines, was also added. Operated by Baleària, this ship began operating last June, connecting Barcelona with Mallorca and Menorca at high speed. This new connection reinforces the commitment to integrating LNG into passenger transport and significantly reduces the emissions generated on this route.

The Port of Barcelona said it will continue to facilitate the introduction of LNG with measures such as administrative simplification to facilitate the authorisation of LNG bunkering operations; and the availability of generic risk analyses to be able to expand these operations to other types of ships. 

During 2025, new risk analyses will be carried out to allow the supply of LNG to container ships, for which the port has already received interest from supply operators.

 

Photo credit: Port of Barcelona
Published: 7 February, 2025

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Shipping Corridor

Clear plan developed for Stockholm-Turku green shipping corridor

After a year of cooperation, Viking Line, Port of Turku and Ports of Stockholm said they have now laid a solid foundation for the green corridor project and developed a clear plan for a common way forward.

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Clear plan developed for Stockholm-Turku green shipping corridor

Viking Line, Port of Turku and Ports of Stockholm on Thursday (6 February) said they have now laid a solid foundation for a green shipping corridor project and developed a clear plan for a common way forward.

This comes after working together for a year on the project which aims to establish a green, fossil-free shipping corridor between Stockholm and Turku. 

On the anniversary on 6 February, the parties and a large number of invited stakeholders gathered for an open seminar in Turku, Finland. Results, experiences, challenges and opportunities were discussed based on the common goal of establishing a green maritime corridor between Stockholm and Turku by 2035.

Magdalena Bosson, CEO Ports of Stockholm, said: “We are very pleased with the cooperation and the work done during the first year.”

“We have been investing in onshore power supply infrastructure for ships for many years and Viking Line is one of the pioneers. Now we are further sharpening our goals together with the other parties to establish a fossil-free shipping corridor between Stockholm and Turku.”

Jan Hanses, CEO Viking Line, said: “We are proud to be part of this important co-operation project for a cleaner Baltic Sea. Our most significant investment so far is to offer all our passengers and freight customers biofuel for transport between Stockholm and Turku, reducing emissions for their journeys by 90%.”

“In addition, a possible battery installation and Elogrids, which reduces energy consumption, are important elements of our work in the coming years.”

Elogrids is a grid system installed on the ship's hull to reduce resistance and improve fuel efficiency. It optimises water flow and reduces turbulence, resulting in lower energy consumption.

Erik Söderholm, CEO Port of Turku, said: “A green shipping corridor gives us the opportunity to promote sustainable development and reduce the environmental impact of shipping.”

“During the past year, we have started more detailed planning of measures related to the green shipping corridor, such as updating our carbon footprint calculation and preparing for the development of charging stations for heavy traffic.”

During the first year, the parties have identified and prioritised the most important goals and measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in shipping. 

A clear project plan with activities has been developed, including:

Viking Line

  • Pre-study of battery installation on Viking Grace and Viking Glory
  • Installing Elogrids on the vessels
  • Increase sales of biogas supplements for transport between Stockholm and Turku

Port of Turku

  • Study and pilot project for onshore power supply at the quay
  • Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at berth
  • Guidelines and incentives for port operators for zero emissions
  • In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
  • Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker sustainable fuels

Ports of Stockholm

  • Zero emissions from Viking Line vessels at the quayside
  • In collaboration with external actors, develop concepts that link the green shipping corridor with sustainable transport from and to the port on land
  • Opportunity for shipping companies to bunker fossil-free fuels

 

Photo credit: Ports of Stockholm
Published: 7 February, 2025

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Alternative Fuels

CSA launches Singapore’s largest electric supply boat, lays keel of fully electric tug

These electric vessels are amongst the first and largest local electric harbour craft designed for operations in Singapore’s waters, says Coastal Sustainability Alliance, led by Kuok Maritime Group.

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CSA launches Singapore’s largest electric supply boat, lays keel of fully electric tug

The Coastal Sustainability Alliance (CSA), an industry collaborative effort led by Kuok Maritime Group (KMG), on Wednesday (5 February) marked a significant achievement with the launch of its first fully electric supply boat (e-supply boat) from shipyard to water and keel lay of its first fully electric tug at PaxOcean Batam.  

CSA said these electric vessels are amongst the first and largest local electric harbour craft designed for operations in Singapore’s waters. The e-supply boat is launched ahead of the nation’s goal for all new harbour craft to be fully electric or compatible with net-zero fuels by 2030. 

CSA launches Singapore’s largest electric supply boat, lays keel of fully electric tug

Mr Tan Thai Yong, Managing Director and CEO, PaxOcean Group and Chairperson, CSA, said: “The launch of the PXO-EXL-1 e-supply boat is a testament to our commitment to decarbonising Singapore’s coastal logistics ecosystem. This vessel demonstrates what CSA can achieve when industry players, researchers, and regulators come together to innovate and collaborate. Together with the keel lay of the PXO-ACE-1 electric tug, these milestones bring us closer to achieving a green and operationally efficient maritime sector.”

Mr Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry & Transformation), Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), said: “Today, we witness the fruits of industry and researchers’ partnerships and collaboration in driving maritime decarbonisation, and advancing energy efficient solutions for Maritime Singapore. MPA is glad to celebrate the launch of Coastal Sustainability Alliance (CSA)’s first fully electric supply boat and the keel lay of the electric tug, and is committed to working with industry partners like CSA to achieve Singapore’s sustainability and decarbonisation goals.”

The PXO-EXL-1 Electric Supply Boat is capable of cruising at 8 knots in zero-emission operations while maintaining operational reliability. Coupled with an efficient hull design and operationally efficient marine logistics, the vessel can achieve 60% energy savings over a conventional lighter making multiple trips, providing significant costs and carbon emissions reduction for the industry.

Supported under the MPA Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund, the 50T bollard pull PXOACE-1 electric tug incorporates advanced technologies for propulsion, energy storage, and battery management systems. The product development is supported by digital twin models with research collaborators to enhance confidence in an electric tug to meet operational requirements within the Port of Singapore. The tug will be future fuel-ready for zero-carbon fuels.

The CSA will bring together international shipping agencies to explore offtaking arrangements and trial the electric supply boat in the second half of 2025, while the construction of the electric tug is slated to be completed in the first quarter of 2026. 

 

Photo credit: PaxOcean and Kuok Maritime Group
Published: 6 February, 2025

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