HSFO availability tight in Houston

Cold weather slows deliveries in New York

Longer lead times in Zona Comun

IMAGE: Cargo Container at Port of Cartagena, Colombia. Getty Images.

North America

Bunker demand in Houston has held firm over the past week. VLSFO and LSMGO availability is okay, but HSFO is getting slightly tight and requires lead times of at least 7–8 days. Meanwhile, VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered by most suppliers within 5 days, a source said.

Sea fog risk remains elevated across much of the US Gulf Coast, particularly along the Texas and Louisiana coasts.

"Patchy fog [is] expected over the next several days for Houston area," a bunker trader tells ENGINE.

Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Port Arthur and Lake Charles are facing high fog risk, mainly overnight and early morning, potentially causing intermittent visibility restrictions and traffic slowdowns.

The Sabine Neches Waterway is currently closed due to poor visibility and is expected to reopen once conditions improve.

Marsh Island, Port Fourchon and parts of southeast Louisiana also remain vulnerable through the day. Conditions are forecast to gradually improve from Friday into the weekend, easing to low fog risk by Sunday into Monday.

In New York, the availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal, with lead times of 3–5 days. HSFO requires longer lead times but can be delivered in around 7 days, a source said.

Extreme cold weather has continued to disrupt some bunkering operations, while high wind gusts in New York Harbor have also caused delays.

Bunker operations may face further disruptions between 12–13 February due to strong winds, with possible barge readiness delays and standby tug requirements imposed on a case-by-case basis.

No backlog congestion has been reported, though a small craft advisory remains in effect until the afternoon of 12 February.

On the US West Coast, Los Angeles and Long Beach have normal availability, with most suppliers able to deliver all three grades within 6–7 days.

Container traffic is expected to ease, with 21 vessel arrivals forecast for next week, down from 24 this week, according to the ports’ vessel tracker, Signal.

In Vancouver, HSFO can be delivered within 4–5 days, while VLSFO and LSMGO are available with lead times of 4–8 days this week, a source said.

Latin America and the Caribbean

Bunker fuel demand in Panama has seen a modest increase compared to last week, a trader said.

VLSFO and HSFO are tight at the ports of Balboa and Cristobal, requiring lead times of over 7 days to secure supply. Meanwhile, LSMGO is available with shorter lead times of 3–5 days.

In Colombia, lead times have remained unchanged since last week, with VLSFO at 2 days and LSMGO at 3 days. In ports where HSFO is available, such as Santa Marta and Barranquilla, the earliest delivery dates are around 3 days, a trader tells ENGINE.

In the Bahamas’ Freeport, possible disruptions are expected between 12-15 February due to high wind gusts in the region. Prolonged delays are expected during this period.

In Brazil, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is steady in Santos, with lead times of around 5–8 days.

In Rio de Janeiro, OPL Sepetiba, Rio Grande, Belém, Salvador and Vila do Conde, availability is decent for both the grades and requires 4-5 days this week.

Paranaguá has normal VLSFO availability with lead times between in 4–5 days, and LSMGO is available only under prior consultation, a trader tells ENGINE.

In Itaqui, the earliest delivery date for VLSFO is between 1-2 days. LSMGO is currently not available at the port.

In Argentina’s Zona Comun, high wind gusts are expected to cause delays and potential disruptions through Sunday. This follows Wednesday’s 12-hour nationwide port shutdown linked to a labour protest, which may have added to waiting times.

Lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO has been extended to 8-10 days this week, up from less than 7 days last week.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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