North America

Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in the Houston area and off the US Gulf Coast. Several suppliers in Houston have held back offers for prompt dates due to tight delivery schedules, sources say.

Bunker operations resumed in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) on Tuesday after being suspended for over five days due to bad weather conditions. Meanwhile, operations were mostly unaffected in the more sheltered Port of Galveston.

Several suppliers have resumed deliveries in GOLA and are working to clear previous backlogs, sources say. But gale-force wind gusts up to 32 knots are forecast from Friday and could trigger another suspension until Saturday.

Prompt LSMGO availability is tight in Maryland’s Baltimore. One supplier has held back offers as it awaits resupply cargo, while another supplier can accommodate prompt stems.

Securing stems for prompt dates in Long Beach and Los Angeles can be tricky. Recommended lead times are around 10 days, but some suppliers can accommodate earlier stems.

Los Angeles’ HSFO price has slumped to multi-month lows and is priced at steep discounts to Houston and other regional ports. But the grade remains tight for prompt dates and longer lead times of at least 10 days are also generally recommended for timely deliveries of this grade.

Availability continues to be steady across all fuel grades in Mexico’s Manzanillo. Recommended lead times for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO are about five days out. Manzanillo has been a major fuel oil exporter to the US in recent months.

Caribbean and Latin America

Availability is normal across all grades in Panama’s Balboa, but prompt dates can be tricky to find as some suppliers have tight schedules. The earliest delivery dates with some suppliers are around eight days out, while others can accommodate stems with shorter lead times.

Availability is comparatively tighter in Panama’s Cristobal and suppliers have long recommended lead times.

LSMGO availability is normal in Jamaica’s Kingston. Lead times are about 5-6 days. But smaller quantity stems can be hard to find.

Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal in Colombia’s Santa Marta. The earliest delivery date with a supplier there is about 3-5 days out.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is has tightened in Argentina’s Zona Comun anchorage, and securing bunkers for prompt dates can be tricky. The earliest delivery dates with a supplier are about 7-8 days. Another supplier can offer deliveries with a shorter lead time of 5-6 days.
Source: ENGINE (By Nithin Chandran, https://engine.online/)