Northwest Europe
Prompt LSMGO supply is available in Rotterdam and in the wider ARA hub. Lead times of 4-6 days are recommended for LSMGO, and 5-7 days for HSFO and VLSFO, according to a trader.
Off Skaw, recommended lead times are 5-7 days for LSMGO and VLSFO, a trader said. HSFO availability continues to be tight, with only non-prompt deliveries with 7-10 days of lead time available.
Meanwhile, bunker fuel availability is normal in the German port of Hamburg. Lead times of 3-5 days are recommended for all three bunker fuel grades.
Mediterranean
Securing VLSFO for prompt delivery dates can be difficult in Gibraltar. Lead times of 5-6 days are recommended for VLSFO, while comparatively shorter lead times of 4-6 days for HSFO and LSMGO.
Prompt availability is tight for all grades in the Turkish port of Istanbul. Strong wind gusts of up to 21 knots are forecast to hit the region intermittently until Thursday, which might hamper bunker operations.
Adverse weather conditions have hindered prompt supply off Malta. Wind gusts of up to 22 knots are forecast to hit the region intermittently until Friday. Moreover, strong wind gusts of 47 knots are forecast off Malta over the weekend, which could cause more delays and disruptions.
At the Greek port of Piraeus, prompt supply also remains tight for all bunker fuel grades. A strike that was called at a refinery in Piraeus this week has been cancelled for the time being, a trader told ENGINE. The cancellation of the strike at the refinery has eased worries about potential bunker supply disruption.
Africa
Several shipping firms continue to divert their vessels around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid tension in the Red Sea. This has led to increased bunker demand in several ports in the region, including those in South Africa, Mozambique and Mauritius.
LSMGO availability remains very tight in the South African ports of Durban and Richards Bay. Lead times of over 10 days are recommended for the grade at these ports. VLSFO is relatively better there, with shorter lead times of 5-7 days.
A bunker trader operating in the port of Luanda in Angola in West Africa has reported a notable increase in bunker-only calls at Luanda anchorage as vessels reroute around Africa to avoid attacks in the Red Sea.
VLSFO availability is good in the port and lead times of 7-10 days are recommended for the grade. Luanda’s VLSFO was priced about $56/mt lower than Durban on Wednesday, and it was priced at parity with Las Palmas.
Meanwhile, offshore bunkering in Algoa is likely to resume on 1 February, after being suspended since September. However, some traders argue that the date is speculative as there has been no official announcement from the South African authorities.
Supply is currently limited to in-port deliveries by one supplier in Port Elizabeth.
Source: ENGINE