Singapore and Malaysia

VLSFO availability in Singapore remains tight, with recommended lead times of around 13 days. Some suppliers can accommodate stems with shorter lead times of about four days, but these are usually priced higher.

Similarly, HSFO supply is limited, with lead times of 10-13 days, nearly unchanged from last week. In contrast, LSMGO is more readily available, with stable lead times of 4-8 days.

Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks have averaged 3% higher this month compared to September, according to Enterprise Singapore. The port has seen a significant 22% rise in net fuel oil imports in October, increasing by 1.70 million bbls, while fuel exports have risen by 980,000 bbls. This has contributed to the stock buildup. Meanwhile, Singapore’s middle distillate stocks have declined, averaging 6% lower on the month.

At Malaysia’s Port Klang, VLSFO and LSMGO supplies are plentiful, with some suppliers able to provide prompt deliveries for smaller volumes. However, HSFO availability remains limited.

East Asia

VLSFO and LSMGO availability in Zhoushan has tightened, with several suppliers running low on stocks. Recommended lead times have increased from 4-7 days last week, to 7-10 days now. HSFO supply remains constrained, with lead times unchanged at 7-10 days.

Recommended lead times remain steady at seven days for all bunker fuel grades in Hong Kong. However, wind gusts of 22-28 knots and swells over two meters are forecast throughout the week, which could affect bunker deliveries at the port.

In the Taiwanese ports of Hualien, Kaohsiung, Taichung and Keelung, VLSFO and LSMGO availability remains stable, with lead times holding steady at around two days.

In southern South Korean ports, lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO remain steady at around 3-9 days, unchanged from last week. HSFO lead times, however, have improved from 11 days last week to about five days now.

In the western ports, VLSFO and LSMGO lead times have slightly increased from four days to 5-7 days now. HSFO supply has tightened, and the supply of the grade is subject to availability.

Adverse weather is expected to intermittently disrupt bunker operations at the South Korean ports of Ulsan, Onsan, Daesan, and Taean on 23 and 27 October, and at Busan and Yeosu on 23 October, as well as between 25-27 October.

VLSFO supply is generally good across Japanese ports, but limited for prompt deliveries in Oita. HSFO supply remains tight at most Japanese ports. LSMGO availability is strong at key ports such as Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama, Kawasaki, Osaka, Kobe, Sakai, Nagoya, Yokkaichi, Mizushima, and Oita. However, supply in Oita is still constrained due to the closure of Idemitsu Kosan’s Yamaguchi refinery in March.

The Philippine port of Subic Bay is preparing for inclement weather this week, which may disrupt bunkering operations. Similarly, the Vietnamese port of Hai Phong expects adverse weather over the weekend, which could affect bunkering.

A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into Tropical Storm Trami on Tuesday and is projected to move west-northwest toward the waters east of Luzon Island, according to Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration (CWA). The CWA has advised ships in the Bashi Channel and east of the Philippines to closely monitor Trami’s movements.

Oceania

A bunker barge serving Fremantle and Kwinana ports is in dry dock from early September until mid-November, making VLSFO unavailable by barge during this time, though LSMGO will still be available at berth. The port of Kembla in Western Australia is unaffected, as bunker deliveries are made by truck and ex-pipe.

In New South Wales, Sydney has sufficient LSMGO, but HSFO may require longer lead times. Melbourne and Geelong in Victoria have ample supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO, though securing prompt HSFO deliveries may be challenging.

In Queensland, Brisbane and Gladstone have adequate VLSFO and LSMGO with lead times of 7-8 days, but HSFO availability in Brisbane is limited.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability remains tight at several Indian ports, including Kandla, Mumbai, Tuticorin, Chennai, and Cochin, similar to recent weeks. In Visakhapatnam and Haldia, both grades are subject to availability, while a supplier in Paradip is nearly out of stock.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lankan ports of Colombo and Hambantota have ample supplies of VLSFO, LSMGO, and HSFO, with recommended lead times of around three days.

Middle East

Availability across all grades in Fujairah remains tight, but lead times have improved from 7-10 days last week to 5-7 days. Khor Fakkan faces similar constraints, with recommended lead times of 5-7 days for all grades.

In Iraq’s Basrah, VLSFO and LSMGO are readily available, while both grades are nearly depleted in Qatar’s Ras Laffan. Jeddah has a good supply of LSMGO, but VLSFO is limited. Djibouti is experiencing tight supplies of both VLSFO and LSMGO.

Meanwhile, Omani ports, including Sohar, Salalah, Muscat, and Duqm, have ample LSMGO with prompt availability.

Source: ENGINE