Singapore's conventional and biofuel bunker sales rose to a four-month high in July, with demand increasing for a third consecutive month, according to data released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Singapore is the world's largest bunkering port by volume, and its monthly MPA figures are followed closely as one of the most consistent real-time gauges of global marine fuel demand.

Total demand for conventional and biofuels reached 4.67 million mt in July, up 1.3% from June but still 4.2% below July 2025 volumes. July sales were the highest since March 2026, when bunker demand surged following the start of the Iran war.

Sales over the first seven months of this year totalled 32.58 million mt, up 3% from the 31.62 million mt recorded in the same period last year. If the first seven months' sales levels were repeated across the whole of the year, this year's total would reach 55.86 million mt, down 0.6% from record sales in 2025.

Product Breakdown

VLSFO (very low sulphur fuel oil) and HSFO (high sulphur fuel oil) are the two dominant residual fuel grades sold in Singapore, split by the International Maritime Organization's 0.5% global sulphur cap in force since 2020.

VLSFO sales came to 2.33 million mt in July, up 5.9% from June but down 1.9% on the year.

HSFO sales declined on both a monthly and yearly basis, totalling 1.95 million mt in July, down 4.4% from the previous month and 1% from last year's volumes. HSFO accounted for 42% of June bunker sales, up from 40% a year ago. Ships fitted with exhaust gas cleaning systems, known as scrubbers, can continue to burn HSFO within the sulphur rules, and the scrubber-fitted fleet has expanded in recent years.

Distillate sales gained on the month to 359,600 mt in July, up 4.2% from June but down 14.4% on the year.

Marine biofuel blend sales also increased in July but remained well below last year's levels. Biofuel blend volumes totalled 39,500 mt, up 5.3% from the previous month but down 67% on the year. The July biofuel total included 1,360 mt of B100 sales, down from 1,500 mt in June and significantly below the 12,800 mt recorded in May. B100 denotes fuel that is entirely bio-derived, with blended grades of lower bio-content making up the bulk of volumes.

LNG bunker sales, which are counted separately from the conventional and biofuel total reported above, also gained in July. July LNG bunker sales totalled 58,690 mt, an increase of 41.5% on the year and 6.7% on the month. LNG has been the most widely adopted of the alternative marine fuels to date, with bunker demand expanding as more dual-fuel vessels enter the fleet.

No methanol or ammonia bunker sales were recorded in July. Methanol sales have not been recorded since February. Both are among the alternative fuels the shipping industry is developing as it works to lower emissions under the IMO's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Bunker Calls

Singapore saw a total of 3,675 calls for bunkers in July, up 0.7% from last year and 1.6% from June. That left the average conventional and biofuel bunker stem size at about 1,271.6 mt in July, down from 1,275.3 mt in the previous month and below the 12-month average of 1,319 mt.

Prices

Singapore's average VLSFO price in July was $755/mt, according to Ship & Bunker prices, compared with $524/mt last year and $728/mt in June 2026. Ship & Bunker's G20-VLSFO Index, which tracks average prices across 20 leading bunkering ports, was $760/mt in July, up from $553/mt last year but down from $782/mt in June. Fuel is one of the largest operating costs in shipping, which makes monthly bunker price movements closely watched across the industry.

Tonnage

The total gross tonnage visiting Singapore was up marginally by 0.5% on the year to 283 million GT in July. Container ships' gross tonnage increased by 0.3% to 82.43 million GT, while tanker tonnage dropped by 1.3% to 84.02 million GT. Bulk carriers' gross tonnage was almost similar to June levels.

Measurement and Reporting

The mandatory mass flow meter systems used to measure all bunker deliveries in Singapore come with a +/-0.5% margin of error, a level considered more accurate than traditional measurement systems used at most other ports, with the added benefit of all but eliminating volumetric malpractice. Singapore became the first port to make mass flow meters compulsory for bunker deliveries when it introduced the requirement in 2017. Only licensed companies can supply bunkers in Singapore, and the MPA calculates sales based on the bunker delivery notes of those companies.