European and African Bunker Fuel Supply Dynamics

Marine fuel availability in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) region is currently experiencing tightness for immediate deliveries. Buyers are generally advised to anticipate lead times of five to seven days for high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO), very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), ultra-low-sulphur fuel oil (ULSFO), and low-sulphur marine gas oil (LSMGO.

Independent fuel oil inventories in the ARA region have shown an increase, averaging 15% higher in August compared to July's monthly average. Fuel oil imports into the hub also saw a significant rise in August, more than doubling July's average volume. Major import sources included Benin, Venezuela, and Mexico. Conversely, independent gasoil inventories in the region, encompassing diesel and heating oil, experienced a slight decrease of 1% in August compared to the previous month. Gasoil imports, however, increased in August, with significant volumes arriving from the United States, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Further north, bunker fuel availability in Hamburg, Germany, remains stable, with a recommended five-day notice for all fuel grades. However, conditions are tighter off Denmark's Skaw and in Gothenburg, Sweden, where lead times of ten to fourteen days are suggested for any fuel grade.

Across the Mediterranean, prompt fuel availability is constrained in ports within the Strait of Gibraltar, with buyers advised to book around ten to twelve days in advance. Delivery delays have been noted in Gibraltar, Algeciras, and Ceuta. Las Palmas also reports tight prompt availability, requiring similar lead times. In Piraeus, Greece, increased demand from cruise vessels has led to tighter prompt supplies, necessitating seven days' notice for HSFO, VLSFO, and LSMGO, and five days for ULSFO.

In Africa, several key bunkering locations are experiencing tight conditions. Lome, Togo, and Walvis Bay, Namibia, require approximately a week's notice for VLSFO and LSMGO. In Luanda, Angola, VLSFO is currently unavailable, though LSMGO supplies are more stable with a three to four-day lead time. Lagos anchorage in Nigeria and Durban, South Africa, also report tight prompt supplies across all grades, with buyers advised to allow five to ten days and a week's notice, respectively. Port Louis and the Mozambican ports of Nacala and Maputo are also facing tight VLSFO supplies, with lead times extending to ten to fourteen days in Port Louis and a week in Mozambique.