ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook

Singapore
Fuel oil grades are in tight availability in Singapore, while gasoil is more readily available. Lead times for VLSFO are 10-13 days and 9-12 days for HSFO. Some suppliers can provide stems on prompt dates at price premiums, sources say.
LSMGO has a much shorter lead time of 2-3 days.
Singapore’s residual fuel oil inventories were drawn sharply in the week to 7 September, to end a three-week build, according to Enterprise Singapore.
Despite the latest draw, stock levels were higher in the first week of September than on average across August. A 5% increase in net fuel oil inflows this month has lent some support to stocks.

East Asia
Suppliers in eastern Chinese ports are bracing for typhoon Muifa to hit this week. Bunkering has been suspended in Zhoushan since Monday, according to White Whale Shipping Agency.
Gale-force wind gusts of 33 knots are forecast in Zhoushan on Tuesday. Wednesday could see winds increase to hurricane-force of up to 64 knots, and waves reach nearly 3 metres.

Availability of all fuel grades in Zhoushan will depend on the how the typhoon impacts operations. Availability prospects might get further impacted as several suppliers already have backlogs, and bad weather is expected to last until 19 September, sources say.
Typhoon Muifa is likely to bring heavy rains and strong winds to parts of South Korea, which might lead to bunker suspensions and delays in some of its ports, sources say. Recommended lead times for all grades are eight days across the southern ports.
Lead times for South Korea’s western ports are longer at 11 days across all grades.
Availability across all fuel grades in Hong Kong remains steady with lead times of 6-7 days.

South Asia
Availability of LSMGO and VLSFO remains normal for prompt dates in India’s Mumbai. HSFO and VLSFO availability is tight in Mundra on India’s northwest coast and requires about 10-11 days of lead times.
A supplier has received VLSFO resupply cargoes in Visakhapatnam and Kakinada on India’s east coast and is able to offer deliveries for prompt dates, a trader says.
Bunker fuel availability is normal in Sri Lanka’s Colombo and Trincomalee. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO are about 5-7 days.

Middle East
The lead time for VLSFO in Fujairah is seven days, 10 days for HSFO and a shorter five days for LSMGO.
Two suppliers in Fujairah are able to offer some VLSFO volumes for prompt dates, a trader says.
VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal in Oman’s Sohar. A supplier can offer deliveries for prompt dates.
Source: ENGINE (By Tuhin Roy and Nithin Chandran, https://engine.online/)