North America
Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO grades are readily available in the Houston area and off the US Gulf Coast. Both grades can be tight for very prompt dates (0-3 days) in New Orleans. The earliest delivery dates with a supplier in New Orleans are about four days out.
Several suppliers in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) have held back offers for prompt delivery dates and for dates further out due to tight schedules and bad weather.
Bad weather is forecast from Friday evening through to next Wednesday and can potentially trigger suspensions or disruptions. Two suppliers can offer VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries in GOLA from next Tuesday onwards if the weather permits, while another supplier can offer deliveries from 28 October, sources say.
Securing stems for prompt dates in Long Beach and Los Angeles can be tricky. The earliest delivery dates with some suppliers stretch out to early November.
LSMGO availability is normal in Miami’s Port Everglades. A supplier can offer the grade with lead times of 3-4 days.
Prompt supply is tight in Canada’s Montreal. The earliest expected delivery dates are between 7-9 days.
Availability continues to be steady across all grades in Mexico’s Manzanillo. Recommended lead times for HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO are about five days out.
Caribbean and Latin America
VLSFO and LSMGO can be tight for very prompt dates in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal. Lead times of 5-8 days are recommended for getting broad coverage from suppliers in Balboa.
Meanwhile, some suppliers in Cristobal can offer both grades on a subject to enquiry basis, while the earliest delivery dates with another two suppliers are about five days. Both ports have been pricing HSFO competitively to Houston in recent days.
Bunker availability is tight off Trinidad, where a supplier can offer the earliest delivery of VLSFO from 26 October onwards. Lead times are comparatively shorter for deliveries in Trinidad’s ports.
Prompt VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Argentina’s Zona Comun. A supplier can offer both grades with five days of lead times. Meanwhile, the earliest delivery dates in Bahai Blanca are about 5-6 days out.
Wind gusts of 20-33 knots are forecast in Zona Comun on Friday and Saturday and could trigger a bunker suspension or delays.
Availability of VLSFO and LSMGO is normal in Colombia’s Santa Marta. The earliest delivery date with a supplier there is about three days out.
Source: ENGINE, By Nithin Chandran (https://engine.online/)