North America
Demand for bunker fuel in Houston weakened this week. Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal with some suppliers in Houston. The fuel grades can be secured in Houston with a lead time of 3-4 days. HSFO remains tighter in Houston, partly due to fewer suppliers offering the grade.
LSMGO and VLSFO availability remains normal for prompt dates in Bolivar Roads and Beaumont.
Bunker operations have been running smoothly in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) amid calm weather conditions this week. A few suppliers are able to deliver VLSFO and LSMGO stems within 4-5 days of lead time. Several others can offer both grades on a subject to enquiry basis.
At the New Orleans Outer Anchorage (NOLA), demand has been muted this week, and stems can be secured for very prompt (0-3 days) dates.
All grades remain tight for prompt delivery dates in the West Coast ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. However, one supplier can deliver VLSFO and LSMGO stems with a relatively short lead time of 5-7 days. HSFO is extremely tight in the West Coast ports, with the earliest delivery dates now stretching out to second week of July.
VLSFO and LSMGO availability is said to be normal in the East Coast port of New York, a trader says.
Caribbean and Latin America
All grades are tight for prompt dates in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal. The earliest delivery dates for VLSFO and LSMGO with two suppliers in Balboa are about six days out, while a few other suppliers require more than seven days of lead time.
Lead times can be longer for HSFO stems in Balboa and Cristobal due to limited product availability among suppliers, sources say.
Tropical Storm Bret, which hit the southern Caribbean Sea region last Friday, has had only a limited impact on bunkering off Trinidad and other bunker locations in the area. Several suppliers started offering bunkers for delivery off Trinidad from Monday, after the storm had passed. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO off Trinidad are about 3-5 days.
However, strong wind gusts of up to 30 knots are forecast to hit Trinidad between Wednesday and Sunday, which could disrupt bunkering there.
VLSFO and LSMGO availability is getting tighter for deliveries at Argentina’s Zona Comun anchorage. One supplier is fully booked until the first week of July. Another supplier is not able to offer stems for prompt dates either.
Securing LSMGO and VLSFO stems in Jamaica’s Kingston can be possible for prompt dates. One supplier can offer VLSFO and LSMGO with a lead time of 3-5 days, while another supplier can offer prompt deliveries on a first-come, first-serve basis.
The port has seen an uptick in demand for dates in the second week of July, and most suppliers can offer stems for those dates.
Source: Engine