Business

JLC China Bunker Market Monthly Report (October 2022)

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales maintained downtrend in October, as overall demand in bonded bunker fuel market slackened further due to epidemic.

Published

2 years ago

November 10, 2022

Admin

Beijing-based commodity market information provider JLC Network Technology Co. recently shared its JLC China Bunker monthly report for October 2022 with Manifold Times through an exclusive arrangement:

Bunker Fuel Demand

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales still drop in Oct

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales maintained a downtrend in October, as overall demand in the bonded bunker fuel market slackened further due to the continued negative impact of the epidemic.At the same time, some Chinese ports lost their price advantage compared with neighboring ones, as their bonded bunker fuel prices were high amid slightly tight supply.

The country recorded about 1.59 million mt of bonded bunker fuel sales in October 2022, a drop of 4.22%from a month earlier, JLC’s data shows.

Specifically, the sales by Chimbusco and Sinopec Zhoushan slid to 560,000 mt and 650,000 mt, while those by SinoBunker and China ChangJiang Bunker (Sinopec) climbed to 70,000 mt and 50,000 mt respectively. Suppliers with local licenses sold 260,000 mt of bonded bunker fuel in the month.

China’s September bonded bunker fuel exports slipped on month as export margins were not so good, but the exports were still relatively high.

The country tallied about 2.01 million mt of bonded bunker fuel exports in September, slightly down by 0.95%from the previous month, according to the data from General Administration of Customs of PRC (GACC). The dip was mainly attributed to a further monthly decline in LSFO production. Chinese refiners were less keen to produce LSFO in the month, as China had released a large quota on oil product exports and diesel export margins appeared to be more considerable compared with LSFO. The country’s LSFO output (of Chinese refiners with export quotas) totaled about 1.24 million mt in September, down by 8.01%month on month, JLC’s data shows.

Among the exports were about 1.90 million mt of heavy bunker fuel and 111,600 mt of light marine gas oil (MGO), accounting for 94.44% and 5.56% of the total respectively. The bonded bunker fuel exports by state-owned enterprises were around 1.68 million mt in the month, occupying 83.8%, while those by local independent enterprises climbed to 325,500 mt, making up 16.2%.

On a year-on-year comparison, however, the exports skyrocketed by 29.89%, GACC data shows. Underlying the jump was much larger output of LSFO and the release of this year’s fourth and fifth batches of quota on LSFO exports in September.

Domestic bunker fuel demand shrinks in October

Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel demand shrank in October, a traditionally strong month, mainly because of a new wave of epidemic outbreaks across China.

The demand for heavy bunker fuel settled at 390,000 mt in the month, a decline of 30,000 mt or 7.14%fromSeptember, JLC’s data indicates. Downstream buyers showed resistance to relatively high bunker fuel prices when the negative effects of the epidemic persisted.

Light bunker fuel demand contracted in October as well, as prices of marine gas oil (MGO) remained relatively lofty and buyers still based purchases on rigid demand to avoid the risk of prices falling back. Demand for light bunker fuel slipped to 145,000 mt in the month, down by 5,000 mt or 3.33% month on month, JLC’s data shows.

Bunker Fuel Supply

China expands bonded bunker fuel imports in September

China boosted its bonded bunker fuel imports in September, as the supply of bonded resources tightened with domestic low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) production falling.

The country imported about 427,900 mt of bonded bunker fuel in September 2022, a significant rally of 27.77% month on month, according to data from the General Administration of Customs of PRC (GACC).

Chinese refiners cut LSFO production in the month because it became less profitable for them to produce or export LSFO. The country’s LSFO output (of Chinese refiners with export quotas) totaled about 1.24 million mt in September, down by 8.01% month on month, JLC’s data shows. Although imported low-sulfur resources still lacked price advantages, market participants expanded their imports given the decline in the supply of homemade resources.

The UAE still topped all suppliers by exporting 278,000 mt of bonded bunker fuel to China in the month, accounting for 65% of China’s total bonded bunker fuel imports. The imports from Singapore and SouthKorea amounted to 79,500 mt and 61,400 mt, occupying 19% and 14% of the total respectively. Malaysia dropped to the fourth position, with imports from the country making up 2%.

On a year-on-year comparison, the imports slumped by 25.94% in September, mainly as a result of a yearly surge in domestic LSFO output.

Domestic blended bunker fuel supply tightens in October

Chinese blenders supplied a total of 420,000 mt of heavy bunker fuel in October, a fallback of 40,000 mt or 9.52% from the previous month, JLC’s data indicates.

Domestic blended heavy bunker fuel supply continued to tighten in the month, which was mainly attributed to a decline in blendstock supply. The supply of the major blendstocks including low-sulfur asphalt, coal-based diesel and light coal tar decreased due to tighter virus-related restrictions. In addition, blenders reduced their bunker fuel supply as cargo delivery was not so smooth during the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, which also contributed to the drop in domestic blended bunker fuel supply.

Coking margins remained fair but resources flowing into the bunker field were limited as refiners still gave priority to diesel of which prices stayed steep. The supply of domestic marine gas oil (MGO) slipped to 170,000 mt in October, down by 10,000 mt or 5.56% from September, the data shows.

Bunker Prices, Profits

Editor

Yvette Luo

+86-020-38834382

[email protected]

Sales (Beijing)

Tony Tang

+86-10-84428863

[email protected]

Sales (Singapore)

Ginny Teo

+65-31571254

[email protected]

JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd is recognized as the leading information provider in China. We specialized in providing the transparent, high-value, authoritative market intelligence and professional analysis in commodity market. Our expertise covers oil, gas, coal, chemical, plastic, rubber, fertilizer and metal industry, etc.

JLC China Bunker Fuel Market Monthly Report is published by JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd every month on China bunker market, demand, supply, margin, freight index, forecast and so on. The report provides full-scale & concise insight into China bunker oil market.

Note: China-based commodity market information provider JLC Technology has been providing Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times China bunker volume data since 2020. Data from that period is available here.

Photo credit: JLC Network Technology

Published: 11 November, 2022

Bunker Fuel

SIBCON 2024: Singapore bunker suppliers must provide e-BDN from 1 April 2025

Senior Minister of State Amy Khor also announced MPA will reduce the frequency of verification checks for mass flow meters from twice a year currently, to once a year, from 1 April 2025.

Published

6 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

SIBCON 2024: Singapore bunker suppliers must provide e-BDN from 1 April 2025

From 1 April 2025, all bunker suppliers in the Port of Singapore will be required to provide digital bunkering services as a default, said Senior Minister of State for Transport and Sustainability and the Environment Amy Khor on Wednesday (9 October).

Khor said Singapore will be the first port globally to implement digital bunkering at scale. MPA launched the digital bunkering initiative on 1 November 2023, becoming the first port in the world to implement electronic bunker delivery notes (e-BDN).

“This initiative is expected to save the industry close to 40,000 man-days annually. In addition, MPA will introduce a centralised electronic Bunker Delivery Note record verification facility to enhance the transparency and integrity of transactions in bunkering operations,” she said in her speech at the 23rd Singapore International Bunkering Conference and Exhibition (SIBCON).

She emphasised that the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will work closely with industry partners and the unions to digitalise and streamline processes to improve efficiency in our port; strengthen our capabilities for the bunkering of future fuels and encourage adoption of these fuels; and upskill our workforce to facilitate the green transition.

Khor also made the following announcements:

From 1 April 2025, MPA will reduce the frequency of verification checks for mass flow meters from twice a year currently, to once a year. Singapore was the first port globally to adopt mass flow meters in 2017, and this new move is expected to help the industry save approximately $300,000 annually.
From 1 January 2025, MPA will roll out two innovative AI applications, DocuMind and DocuMatch, developed in collaboration with cloud service providers to drive greater efficiency in our port. These are expected to accelerate certificate processing time from up to three days currently, to a few minutes for most transactions.
Two ammonia bunkering proposals by Mitsui and Fortescue-Equatorial Marine Fuels have been selected by the consortia for the next round of Request for Proposal to provide a low- or zero-carbon ammonia solution on Jurong Island for power generation and bunkering.
MPA will commit $50 million to support the implementation of the refreshed Maritime Singapore Green Initiative, to further encourage the early adoption of green fuels and technologies across the maritime industry.
Singapore will continue to strengthen international partnerships through initiatives like the Green and Digital Shipping Corridors (GDSCs) to enable the digitalisation and decarbonisation of shipping. On 9 October, MPA and the Shandong Provincial Transport Department will be signing the Singapore-Shandong GDSC at the sidelines of the 25th Singapore-Shandong Business Council co-chaired by Mr Chee Hong Tat, Minister for Transport and Second Minister for Finance, and Mr Zhou Naixiang, Governor of the Shandong Provincial Government.

Photo credit: Singapore Ministry of Transport
Published: 9 October, 2024

Mass Flowmeter

Singapore-based Metcore and LR team up for MFM certification service

Both launched an independent accredited certification service to certify the accuracy and reliability of bunker fuel quantity received via Mass Flow Meters.

Published

6 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

Singapore-based MFM system measurement solutions provider, Metcore International Pte Ltd (Metcore), and classification society Lloyd’s Register (LR) on Tuesday (8 October) launched an independent accredited certification service to certify the accuracy and reliability of the quantity of fuel received via Mass Flow Meters (MFM).

The service provides an additional conformity assessment of the installed meters, positioned, used, maintained and continually certified to the ISO 22192:2021 standard.

The demand for greater accuracy in delivered bunker quantities, coupled with the need for greater transparency, security and process automation, is fuelling the widespread adoption of MFMs across the bunker industry. In 2017, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore mandated the use of MFM for bunkering operations. SOHAR Port and Freezone has announced a mandate from the start of 2025 and the Port of Rotterdam and Antwerp-Bruges are also set to introduce mandatory use of MFMs in 2026.

To help address the concerns that shipowners and bunker buyers have with the use of MFM on bunker tankers, the LR-Metcore MFM certification service aims to minimise the likely causes of measurement error and ensure that the MFM system serviceability extends beyond its initial qualification at installation. Its post-approval conformity assessment program includes metering-data analysis to monitor crew competency to help maintain secure integrity for continual measurement performance.

In the event of a dispute, the service also offers an independent bunker delivery MFM digital data review as part of the investigation process, helping ensure all parties can carry out a detailed review of the data.

Lewis Cox, LR’s FOBAS Business Development Area Manager, said: “With the potential to eliminate bunker quantity disputes, minimise turnaround time and boost confidence in delivery data – particularly as ship operators seek to account for emissions from the fuel they consume – using Mass Flow Meters seems to be a win for all stakeholders.”

“But the reality of adopting them is not necessarily as straightforward. With the new LR-Metcore MFM certification service, bunkering stakeholders will have peace of mind that their installed meters are certified in conformity with internationally recognised standards for enhanced transparency and trust.”

Photo credit: Metcore International
Published: 9 October, 2024

LNG Bunkering

Seaspan Energy takes delivery of first LNG bunkering vessel

“Seaspan Garibaldi” will take first cargo and finalise commissioning in Vancouver before its first ship-to-ship bunkering in Long Beach, where Seaspan will bunker a series of vessels.

Published

6 hours ago

October 9, 2024

Admin

Seaspan Energy takes delivery of first LNG bunkering vessel “Seaspan Garibaldi”

Seaspan Energy on Monday (7 October) said it took delivery of its first LNG bunkering vessel, the Seaspan Garibaldi and is currently sailing to Vancouver.

Manifold Times previously reported that the vessel is the first of three 7,600m3 LNG bunkering vessels and it is named after Mount Garibaldi, or “Nch'ḵay̓”.

The Garibaldi will take first cargo and finalise commissioning in Vancouver before its first ship-to-ship bunkering in Long Beach, where Seaspan will provide Simultaneous Operations to bunker a series of vessels.

Following its first bunkering, the Seaspan Garibaldi will continue to provide low-carbon solutions to vessels on the West Coast of North America and will soon be joined by Seaspan Energy’s second LNG bunkering vessel, the Seaspan Lions (Ch’ich’iyúy Elxwíkn).

The Seaspan Garibaldi is 112.8 metres in length, 18.6 metres in width, 5 metres in draft, with a design speed of 13 knots.

CIMC Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (CIMC SOE), a small-scale gas carrier shipyard in the world, was appointed to build all three LNG bunkering vessels.

Photo credit: Seaspan
Published: 9 October, 2024