Dense fog temporarily closes Houston

Cold weather delays bunkering in New York

LSMGO availability tightens in Rio de Janeiro

IMAGE: Cargo ship carrying containers on the waters of the sea of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Getty Images.

North America

Though demand for bunkers is healthy in Houston, availability of all three conventional fuels is expected to tighten in the coming weeks.

According to sources, as the year-end approaches, suppliers have begun to maintain lower-than-usual inventories to avoid year-end taxes associated with rolling product into the next year.

This week, suppliers have recommended extended lead times at the port, with more than 7 days advised for HSFO and VLSFO, while LSMGO can be delivered within 5-7 days.

Currently, the US Gulf Coast is in its fog season, which has caused multiple port closures across the region, leading to delays in bunker delivery orders and schedules.

The port of Houston was closed to inbound traffic at 15:00 (local time) on 17 December and remained open only to outbound traffic before being fully closed to all traffic at 20:04 (local time) due to dense fog in the region, a shipping agent informed.

The port is expected to reopen today as weather conditions begin to improve, a bunker trader told ENGINE.

In the Sabine Neches Waterway, all vessel boardings have been suspended from 00:40 (local time) on 18 December due to poor visibility caused by fog, and traffic will resume once weather conditions improve.

At the nearby bunkering spot Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), bunker operations are expected to be suspended on 19 December due to high wind gusts and elevated sea conditions at the outer locations, a bunker trader said.

In New York, demand for HSFO and VLSFO has remained steady, with lead times currently at 6-9 days this week. For LSMGO deliveries, most suppliers have recommended a 2-3-day notice.

In New York Harbor, cold weather has begun to affect some deliveries, as falling temperatures at the port have caused fuel oil to solidify, a source said.

Apart from cold weather, high wind gusts have remained prevalent at the port.

A gale watch is set to come into effect from Thursday evening and remain through Friday evening, as the port is expecting high wind gusts exceeding 40 knots, which can result in waves of 4-5 feet.

Weather conditions are expected to calm by 20 December, with westerly winds forecast at below 15 knots.

Bunker fuel demand has eased along the US West Coast, with the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach not seeing many enquiries this week, a trader said. All three conventional fuel grades require lead times of around 7-8 days this week.

Container ship volumes at the port of Los Angeles are expected to dip to 17 vessels in the coming week, down from 20 container ships, according to the port’s vessel tracker, Signal.

In Vancouver, HSFO can be supplied between 22–24 December, while VLSFO and LSMGO remain available with lead times of 8-10 days this week. Weather conditions in Vancouver have remained normal, with winds mostly blowing between 9-14 knots.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Panama, bunker fuel demand has improved in the last quarter of 2025, with October and November recording some of the highest sales of the year.

Panama also offers biofuels for bunkering; however, offtake for the grade has remained disappointing with only 3 recorded biofuel stems during 2025, according to preliminary data from the Panama Maritime Authority.

At the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered within 5–7 days this week. LSMGO is available from most suppliers with lead times of around 4 days, but this may extend to 6 days, a source told ENGINE.

In Colombia, both VLSFO and LSMGO remain available for prompt delivery across the ports of Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla, with earliest delivery dates possible within the next 2–3 days.

In Brazil, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Santos. The port is facing congestion due to vessel traffic and has extended lead times this week to 6–8 days for VLSFO.

LSMGO can be delivered at the earliest between 22–24 December.

In Rio de Janeiro, VLSFO is not available this week, while LSMGO availability for prompt delivery is tight. Suppliers have recommended lead times of more than 7 days for LSMGO deliveries.

Rio Grande continues to maintain normal availability for both VLSFO and LSMGO, which can be delivered within 5–7 days. The port also offers biofuels for bunkering.

In Belém and Vila do Conde, VLSFO is available and can be supplied within recommended lead times of 4–5 days.

However, LSMGO is currently unavailable and is expected to be available from 5 January, according to local suppliers.

At OPL Sepetiba, both VLSFO and LSMGO are currently unavailable, with reloading expected to take place on 21 December, according to sources.

In Salvador, the earliest supply for both grades is expected between 20–21 December.

Paranaguá continues to have normal VLSFO availability with delivery in 4–5 days, while LSMGO remains unavailable.

Itaqui is expecting tanker reloading for both VLSFO and LSMGO on 26 December.

In Argentina, restrictions on bunker fuel purchases are set to be lifted from 1 January 2026, allowing vessels to purchase fuel up to the maximum tank capacity. Currently, restrictions remain on the quantity of bunkers allowed to be purchased by vessel operators, based on the destination of their transit.

A strike is scheduled at the Upriver ports due to a wage-related labour dispute, set to begin at 06:00 (local time) on Thursday. The strike is expected to last for 24 hours. During this period, operations will be suspended at ports and berths, including LDC Lagos, Cargill Punta Alvear, and Viterra Bahia Blanca.

In Zona Comun, a period of possible disruptions is expected until 20 December, as high wind gusts are blowing across the anchorage.

This may lead to delays in bunker deliveries, a source said. This week, both VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered within typical lead times of 5-7 days, a supplier said.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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