Steady bunker demand in New York

Los Angeles demand ticks up

Availability tight in Rio de Janeiro

IMAGE: Aerial view of the port of Callao in Lima, Peru. Getty Image

North America

Bunker demand in Houston has been good over the past week, and availability for all three conventional grades is okay, a trader said.

Prompt HSFO supply is a bit tight, with recommended lead times of around seven days. VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered within 3-5 days.

Availability is good at the anchorage of the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA). Suppliers there can offer HSFO and LSMGO in around 4-6 days, while VLSFO requires around 5-6 days of notice.

No major weather disruption is expected at the anchorage this week. Deliveries are being carried out on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to weather conditions.

All three grades are available in New Orleans, Louisiana (NOLA), where steady demand has kept recommended lead times at 6-7 days, a trader tells ENGINE. At least one supplier can deliver HSFO and VLSFO in under five days, though stems may take about a week, depending on the size of the enquiry, a source said.

Weather is not expected to disrupt operations this week, and the port is running clear of backlogs.

New York has seen steady demand for HSFO and VLSFO, while LSMGO offtake has dropped off slightly from the past few weeks.

Availability is decent across the grades, with HSFO requiring lead times of 5-7 days, VLSFO around 4 days, and LSMGO mostly available within 2-3 days.

High wind gusts could disrupt bunkering in New York until 10 September, with winds of up to 23 knots forecast before easing tomorrow. No backlog or barge congestion has been reported so far, a source said.

On the US West Coast, bunker demand at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach has picked up this week. Suppliers can offer LSMGO and VLSFO within 4-7 days, while HSFO requires 5-7 days.

Demand in Vancouver is normal, with suppliers recommending lead times of 3-4 days for VLSFO and LSMGO. HSFO can take a little longer, but most deliveries this week have been possible in under seven days, a source said.

Latin America and the Caribbean

The Panama market is seeing good demand. At key ports such as Balboa and Cristobal, HSFO and VLSFO are available on lead times of 5-6 days, while LSMGO can be supplied within 3-4 days.

No weather disruption is expected in Balboa this week, where deliveries are done on a first come, first served basis and priority goes to vessels holding confirmed transit schedules.

The Colombian ports of Cartagena, Santa Marta and Barranquilla are all holding good stocks of VLSFO and LSMGO, with the earliest delivery dates falling between 3-5 days, a trader said.

In the Caribbean, high wind gusts could impact bunker deliveries in St. Eustatius between 9-12 September, with gusts of up to 24 knots forecast. Deliveries there are done at anchorage, and cruise ships take priority, a source said.

High seas could disrupt offshore bunkering in Trinidad over the same period, with waves of up to 1.6m forecast. Deliveries in the region are carried out while underway.

HSFO supply is tight in Callao, where the grade is offered under prior consultation, and requires lead times of over a week. VLSFO and LSMGO are more readily available, at 5-7 days, a trader said.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in Brazil's Santos, with recommended lead times of 5-7 days, though the port remains congested.

Supply is tight for both the grades in Rio de Janeiro and Paranagua, where they are offered under prior consultation and require 8-10 days.

Rio Grande can deliver VLSFO within 5-7 days, but no LSMGO availability has been reported there. Both grades are available in Belem and Vila do Conde on lead times of 5-7 days.

Zona Comun has good availability of VLSFO and LSMGO, with both grades deliverable in 5-7 days. High wind gusts could disrupt bunkering there between 11-12 September, with gusts of up to 25 knots forecast, which could lead to suspension of operations.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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