ENGINE: Europe and Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook — Tight Supplies Across Key Ports
Key Takeaways
- •The ARA hub's fuel oil imports fell sharply from 215,000 b/d in June to 161,000 b/d in July, while independent gasoil inventories dropped 10% to their lowest level in nearly four years.
- •Rotterdam's LSMGO price rose approximately 20% over the past month compared to an 8% increase for VLSFO, reflecting the sharper drawdown in regional gasoil stocks.
- •Recommended bunker lead times across most affected European and African ports range from 5–7 days, extending to 10–14 days in Las Palmas and Port Louis for certain fuel grades.
- •HSFO availability is tight in most African ports with suppliers reporting very limited volumes, while VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Lomé, off Walvis Bay, and at the Lagos anchorage.
- •Hamburg and Durban maintained stable bunker availability, allowing deliveries within five days and without significant delays, respectively, bucking the broader tightening trend.
Europe and Africa Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook
Bunker fuel availability tightened across Northwest Europe, the Mediterranean, and most African ports in late July, with declining inventories and reduced imports constraining prompt supplies. The squeeze comes during the peak summer shipping season, when bunker demand typically runs high, and lengthens lead times for ship operators who must coordinate fuelling stops further in advance to avoid schedule disruptions.
Northwest Europe
Prompt bunker availability is tight in the ARA (Amsterdam–Rotterdam–Antwerp) region — one of the world's largest bunkering hubs — with buyers recommended lead times of 5–7 days to secure supplies of any fuel grade, a trader said. The ARA's independently held fuel oil stocks averaged 1% lower in July compared to June's monthly average, according to Insights Global data.
The ARA hub imported only 161,000 b/d of fuel oil in July, a sharp decline from June's monthly average of 215,000 b/d, according to Vortexa cargo data. Shipments arrived from Syria (28%), France (17%), and Sweden (13%), among other countries.
Independent gasoil inventories — which include diesel and heating oil — dropped by 10% in July compared to June, Insights Global data showed. Gasoil inventories have fallen to their lowest level in nearly four years. The region imported 129,000 b/d of gasoil in July, down considerably from 188,000 b/d in June, according to Vortexa data. Most of these shipments originated from Sweden (24%), the UK (16%), and the US (13%).
Rotterdam's LSMGO price has risen by approximately 20% over the past month, while the VLSFO price has gained only 8%, according to ENGINE's price data. The sharper rise in LSMGO — a low-sulphur marine gasoil used by vessels needing to comply with sulphur caps in Emission Control Areas — reflects the particular drawdown in gasoil stocks across the region.
In Germany's Hamburg, bunker availability is stable, and deliveries of any fuel grade can be secured within five days, a trader told ENGINE. Fuel availability is tight off Denmark's Skaw and in Sweden's Gothenburg, where buyers are recommended to book deliveries around 10 days ahead for any fuel grade, according to a trader.
Mediterranean
Bunker fuel availability is tight across the Gibraltar Strait ports, among the busiest bunkering locations globally, with buyers advised lead times of approximately one week to secure deliveries of any fuel grade, a trader said. Some suppliers in Gibraltar could face delays of 12–14 hours, while suppliers in Algeciras may run 2–13 hours behind schedule, port agent MH Bland reported.
In Barcelona, bunker fuel buyers can secure deliveries with a lead time of seven days, a trader said.
Las Palmas is experiencing tight bunker fuel availability, with buyers advised of 10–12 day lead times for HSFO, VLSFO, and LSMGO deliveries, a trader told ENGINE.
Offshore Malta, VLSFO bunker availability is tight for prompt supplies, with buyers advised lead times of up to a week. ULSFO deliveries may require about 5–6 days, while LSMGO is more readily available with 2–5 days' notice sufficient to secure supplies, the trader added.
In Greece's Piraeus, fuel availability is tight across all major grades. Buyers seeking HSFO, VLSFO, LSMGO, and ULSFO supplies are advised to book with a lead time of approximately 5–7 days, a trader said.
In Istanbul, Turkey, VLSFO availability is tight and suppliers recommend booking with 5–7 days' lead time, though LSMGO is available more promptly, a trader noted. Buyers looking to bunker in Istanbul are advised 1–3 days' notice for LSMGO and ULSFO, 2–4 days for VLSFO, and 4–7 days for HSFO. Fuel oil and marine gas oil availability is tight in Istanbul, a local supplier told ENGINE.
Fuel availability is low in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta, a local supplier reported.
Africa
HSFO availability is tight in most African ports, with suppliers reporting very limited volumes. VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Lomé and off Walvis Bay for prompt delivery dates, with buyers advised to book at least seven days in advance, a trader told ENGINE.
VLSFO deliveries at the Lagos anchorage require 5–7 days' notice, a local supplier told ENGINE. Prompt VLSFO availability is tight off Algoa Bay, with buyers advised at least 5–7 days' notice, a trader said.
VLSFO and LSMGO availability is stable in Durban, a trader reported.
In Port Louis, bunker availability is tight, with suppliers quoting earliest delivery dates approximately 10–14 days out for VLSFO and LSMGO, a trader said.
Source: By Nachiket Tekawade, ENGINE —