Bunker fuel oil supply has become tighter in the ARA region in recent days, pushing recommended lead times to 5-7 days for VLSFO, and 5-6 days for HSFO380.

ARA’s independently held fuel oil stocks have gradually added weight and gained by 6% last week. The hub’s gasoil stocks, meanwhile, shrunk to a new eight-year low, according to Insights Global data.

Bunker demand has been said to be average in Hamburg, while availability of VLSFO continues to be good. Recommended lead times are unchanged at 3-5 days.

Availability of HSFO380 is limited in the Canary Islands, with suppliers’ earliest delivery dates ranging from 8-15 days ahead. VLSFO and LSMGO availability is comparatively better with lead times of 4-5 days, sources say.

Bunker operations in the Gibraltar Strait resumed fully last weekend. Weather-triggered bunker suspensions at anchorages through most of last week had created considerable backlogs.

Congestion in Gibraltar has dropped from Monday’s 23 vessels to just two vessels on Wednesday, according to port agent MH Bland. While they were clearing backlogs, suppliers have been less inclined to take on prompt deliveries, sources say. Recommended lead times are around 5-7 days across fuel grades.

There was also severe congestion at anchorages in Algeciras, but some supply capacity returned with resumed deliveries at the port’s two inner anchorages towards the end of last week. 10 vessels were waiting to bunker across inner and outer anchorages in Algeciras on Wednesday.

Bunkering was reduced to only one of Malta’s offshore bunker areas at the start of the week, and was fully suspended across its six areas on Wednesday amid worsening weather conditions, MH Bland said.
Source: ENGINE (https://engine.online/)