HSFO supply improves in New York

West Coast demand remains weak

HSFO tight in Balboa

IMAGE: A ship at sea in Santos. Getty Images.

North America

Bunker fuel demand in the Americas has remained steady, with no sharp spikes in growth or slump. The US East Coast has seen a small influx in demand over the past week, a bunker trader told ENGINE.

Bunker fuel availability at Houston has remained healthy, with suppliers asking for typically less than 7 days of lead time for HSFO and LSMGO.

VLSFO can be delivered between 4-5 days of lead time.

The shortest time in which few suppliers can deliver these three grades is 1-2 days.

Weather conditions in Houston are warmer, with light winds of 2–7 knots and gusts peaking around 17 knots.

Intermittent downpours may slow operations, though wind levels are not expected to pose major disruptions.

Availability has also remained normal at nearby Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), where all three grades can be delivered within 4–5 days.

LNG bunkering is also available at the anchorage with typical lead times of about seven days.

The weather off Galveston has stayed relatively stable through the week, with winds of 8–14 knots and gusts of up to 21 knots forecast on Friday.

Off Corpus Christi, availability is decent, with HSFO and LSMGO deliveries possible within 5–6 days.

Availability is particularly constrained in Mobile, Alabama, where suppliers are only able to offer small parcels of VLSFO within 4–5 days.

"We would only be able to offer 100 mt VLSFO at urgent basis. If they needed the full volume then we would not be able to deliver until the 5 September," a local supplier said.

The Atlantic hurricane season has entered its most active phase, causing weather-related disruptions in the region. However, with improved weather conditions today, the National Hurricane Center has discontinued advisories on Tropical Storm Fernand in the Atlantic and Tropical Storm Juliette in the Eastern Pacific.

In New York, demand has stayed steady, and HSFO availability has improved since last week. VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered within 3–4 days, while HSFO still requires longer lead times despite the improvement.

The port has also enabled vessels to bunker biofuel recently, joining Houston and NOLA in offering the grade. A supplier has additionally confirmed plans to start biofuel bunkering in Canada’s Montreal from the first quarter of 2026.

On the US West Coast, demand has remained muted, contrary to the East Coast.

The twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which are usually favored with good weather, have seen weaker demand. The number of vessels expected at the ports has fallen to 19 from 21 this week, according to the official tracker.

The ports have good availability of HSFO, VLSFO, and LSMGO, with delivery lead times of 5–7 days.

Latin America and the Caribbean

HSFO supply in Panama, especially Balboa, remains under pressure and is expected to tighten further this week, with suppliers now requiring at least seven days to deliver the grade.

VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered in 6–7 days, in Balboa and Cristobal

In Kingston, Jamaica, supply has been relatively steady, though lead times for both VLSFO and LSMGO stretch to about 8–9 days.

In Freeport, Bahamas, availability across all three grades is adequate, with lead times of at least 7 days. Cruise vessels are being given priority at the port, which could delay bunkering schedules for other ship types during peak periods.

Colombia's Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla continue to report healthy stocks of VLSFO and LSMGO, with the earliest delivery dates at 2–3 days.

Though Brazil's Santos expects to face congestion, operations remain steady, with VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries available in 7–8 days. Lead times are shorter in Rio Grande and Rio de Janeiro, at around 4–5 days.

In Argentina’s Zona Comun, VLSFO and LSMGO remain adequately supplied, with unchanged lead times of 5–7 days. Weather in the anchorage location is calm today with light winds of 5–9 knots, rising to 11–13 knots by evening under clear skies.

But stronger wind gusts of 20–25 knots with rain are forecast from Sunday into Monday, which could delay bunkering operations as suppliers typically suspend deliveries when winds exceed 20 knots.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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