An early look at how the new sulphur limit is reshaping bunker demand, fuel availability and quality, and operational strategies across the Mediterranean.

Focus on the Mediterranean ECA

The Mediterranean Emission Control Area (Med ECA) came into force on 1 May 2025,

In 2024, the United States imported about 17% of its domestic energy supply, half of the record share set in 2006 and the lowest share since 1985, according to our Monthly Energy Review. The decline in imports' share of supply

The U.S. Gulf clean tanker market surged last week, marking one of the strongest upward freight shifts seen so far this year. The rally — centered on TC14 (USGC–UKC) — wasn’t just a blip of volatility, but a convergence of

Clean

LR2

LR2 freight in the MEG continued its downward trajectory this week. The TC1 75kt MEG/Japan index dropped 23.61 points to WS120 and a TC20 90kt MEG/UK-Continent voyage also went from $4.03 million to $3.59 million.

West of Suez, Mediterranean/East LR2’s plateaued

In the continually evolving maritime industry, the pursuit of safety, sustainability and innovation are critical objectives.

After establishing a safe implementation plan, Polar Tankers, Inc., a subsidiary of ConocoPhillips, has been retrofitting its fleet to connect to high-voltage shore power in

In 2024, the United States consumed about 94 quadrillion British thermal units (quads) of energy, a 1% increase from 2023, according to our Monthly Energy Review. Fossil fuels—petroleum, natural gas, and coal—accounted for 82% of total U.S. energy consumption in

Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger large methane emissions by just moving through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed twenty times higher methane emissions in the

North America

Bunker fuel demand has seen a slight uptick in Houston, and recommended lead times for VLSFO and HSFO stand at 5-7 days.

LSMGO is more readily available and can be delivered within five days, a source said.

The hurricane season has

Congestion in European ports is hardly new. Long before the 2020s, logisticians working at container terminals had warned that there was insufficient capacity to support sustained growth. In particular, landside infrastructure had not been expanding fast enough.

Unsurprisingly, the problem has

Northwest Europe

In the ARA hub, HSFO and VLSFO lead times have come down slightly from last week to 6-8 days now, while LSMGO requires 5-6 days ahead, a trader told ENGINE.

The ARA's independently held fuel oil stocks averaged 7% in