Prompt HSFO supply is tight in Rotterdam

Several Middle Eastern ports could face weather disruptions

Bad weather may impact bunkering in Gola

HOTO: Aerial shot over Cape Town harbour. Getty Images

Europe & Africa

Availability of HSFO is still tight in Rotterdam and across the wider ARA hub, a trader told ENGINE. Suppliers are unable to offer the grade for very prompt delivery dates. Lead times of 5-7 days are advised for optimal coverage, according to a trader. 

Both VLSFO and LSMGO are well stocked in the ARA hub, with lead times of 3-5 days advised. 

In the German port of Hamburg, availability of all three grades is normal, a trader said. Most suppliers can supply all three grades with lead times of 3-5 days.

Gibraltar has no constraints in bunker supply and availability is normal in the port, a trader said. Lead times of 3-5 days are advised for all three grades. Gibraltar experienced a temporary suspension of operations due to bad weather last week. This resulted in severe congestion, with 25 vessels waiting to bunker at the port on Monday. By Thursday, the congestion had eased, with only nine vessels waiting in line for bunkers, a trader said.

Looking ahead, bad weather may once again disrupt bunker deliveries in Gibraltar. Strong wind gusts ranging from 31-33 knots are expected on Sunday and Monday, followed by a brief period of calm weather. On Wednesday, strong winds of up to 29 knots are anticipated, which could impact bunker operations once again.

The South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay are experiencing tightness in VLSFO supply. Lead times of 7-10 days are recommended for the grade in both ports, a trader said.

LSMGO remains dry in Durban for the second consecutive week. Bunkering disruptions may occur on Friday when strong wind gusts of up to 26 knots are forecast. 

Mauritius’ Port Louis has good availability across all bunker grades, with prompt delivery dates on offer, according to a trader. 

East of Suez 

VLSFO availability in Singapore has improved, with lead times reduced to 6-9 days from around 10 days last week. HSFO lead times remain steady at 10-13 days, while LSMGO lead times vary between 4-14 days. At Malaysia's Port Klang, VLSFO and LSMGO supplies are abundant, with some suppliers offering prompt deliveries for small volumes, but HSFO availability remains limited.

In Zhoushan, VLSFO lead times have increased to 5-7 days from 4-6 days last week, while HSFO lead times rose to 5-7 days from 3-5 days. LSMGO lead times have improved slightly, decreasing from 4-6 days to 3-5 days. In Shanghai, LSMGO is readily available, but VLSFO and HSFO remain constrained. Fuzhou has strong VLSFO and LSMGO supplies, while Xiamen has good VLSFO, but restricted LSMGO availability. Prompt availability is limited at Yangpu and Guangzhou.

In Hong Kong, lead times for all grades remain around seven days. Taiwan ports, including Hualien, Taichung, and Keelung, have steady VLSFO and LSMGO supplies with two-day lead times. At Kaohsiung, VLSFO lead times are around two days, but LSMGO delivery is challenging due to barge maintenance since 26 December.

In South Korea, western ports such as Daesan offer a $25/mt discount on VLSFO compared to southern ports like Busan due to subdued demand. Southern ports have VLSFO and LSMGO lead times of 4-12 days, while lead times have improved to seven days in western ports.

Bunker operations at Ulsan, Onsan, and Busan ports may experience intermittent disruptions due to bad weather from 6-8 January. Similarly, disruptions are expected at Daesan, Taean, and Yeosu ports on Friday and between 6-8 January.

In Japan, fuel availability is limited across major ports, including Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Osaka, Kobe, Sakai, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Mizushima, and Oita.

In Western Australia, the ports of Kwinana, Fremantle, and Kembla have good VLSFO and LSMGO supplies, with lead times of 7-8 days. Queensland's Brisbane and Gladstone also have sufficient VLSFO and LSMGO supplies with 7-8 day lead times, while HSFO availability in Brisbane remains limited. In New Zealand, Tauranga and Auckland have adequate VLSFO supplies, with Auckland also offering sufficient LSMGO. However, rough weather on 3 and 7 January in Tauranga could disrupt bunker operations.

VLSFO and LSMGO remain in limited supply at several Indian ports, including Kandla, Mumbai, Tuticorin, Chennai, and Cochin, as in previous weeks. Supply of both grades in Visakhapatnam depends on availability, while a supplier in Haldia is nearly out of stock. Sri Lanka’s ports of Colombo and Hambantota have good availability of VLSFO, LSMGO, and HSFO, with lead times steady at around four days.

In the Middle East, Fujairah has tight availability, with lead times for all grades remaining at 5-7 days, unchanged from last week. Khor Fakkan has similar lead times for all grades. In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, LSMGO is sufficiently supplied, but VLSFO availability is limited. Djibouti faces severe supply shortages, with VLSFO and HSFO nearly exhausted, and LSMGO also in short supply. Omani ports, including Sohar, Salalah, Muscat, and Duqm, have ample LSMGO supplies.

Inclement weather is forecast across several Middle Eastern ports, including Fujairah, Khor Fakkan, Sohar, and Dubai, on Thursday, which may disrupt bunker deliveries. Bad weather is also expected in Jeddah from 5-6 January and in Salalah from 2-5 January, potentially affecting bunker operations.

Americas

Very prompt availability is tight in Houston and other ports along the US Gulf Coast. Lead times of at least seven days are recommended for VLSFO and LSMGO, while longer lead times are generally recommended for HSFO.

Some suppliers are unable to offer grades in Houston for prompt dates because of tight delivery schedules, a source said.

Bad weather is forecast over the weekend in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) and may complicate barge deliveries there.

Two suppliers can offer LSMGO for prompt dates in Port Everglades, Florida.

Lead times of 7-8 days are generally recommended to ensure full coverage from suppliers in Balboa and Cristobal. Two suppliers can deliver VLSFO and LSMGO with lead times of seven days, while one supplier can offer LSMGO for delivery dates after 11 January.

By Manjula Nair, Tuhin Roy and Nithin Chandran

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