Americas Fuel Availability Outlook 28 May

Strong bunker demand in Houston

Prompt fuel availability tight in Los Angeles

Steady VLSFO, LSMGO supply in Brazil

IMAGE: The port of Balboa in the Panama Canal. Getty Images.

North America

Bunker demand in the US Gulf port of Houston has remained strong over the past week, with prompt fuel availability a bit tight across most suppliers, a trader tells ENGINE.

Due to ongoing market volatility, most suppliers require all offers to be reconfirmed at the time. Lead times for HSFO and LSMGO are currently between 5-7 days, and VLSFO requires at least five days to be procured.

The Houston Ship Channel recorded its highest vessel activity in the first quarter of 2026 in seven years, according to the Port of Houston.

Vessel traffic increased particularly between March and April, which might have resulted in stronger bunker fuel demand at the port.

The US Gulf is currently in its fog season, with sea fog and visibility conditions expected to remain largely low to moderate across key ports along the US Gulf Coast through next Wednesday.

Moderate fog-related risks have been forecast at ports including Galveston, Port Arthur, New Orleans and Mobile at various points over the week, which could lead to intermittent disruptions to vessel traffic and port operations.

Mobile faces the highest visibility threat on Sunday morning, with conditions briefly reaching the high category before easing later in the day.

In the East Coast at the port of New York, bunker demand has been steady. Occasional high wind gusts and dense fog have led to minor disruptions in operations, but weather conditions have improved since, a source said.

Lead times for all three conventional fuel grades are between 5-8 days this week. Additionally, LSMGO availability is expected to tighten at the port over the week.

At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, bunker demand is strong, and availability is a bit tight for prompt supply.

Suppliers have recommended lead times between 7-10 days for HSFO and LSMGO. VLSFO needs lead times just under a week, a source said.

At the port of Long Beach, the first oceangoing vessel to bunker methanol on a "commercial scale" at the Port of Long Beach will receive a $1 million incentive award, the port authority said.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Panama, bunker demand continues to be strong, with fuel prices being more-or-less competitive, a trader said.

Availability conditions are normal at both the ports of Balboa and Cristobal.

HSFO and VLSFO can be delivered within 4-6 days. LSMGO has typically been delivered in four days, over the past week.

High wind gusts are expected to impact operations at Freeport, Bahamas between 27-28 May, which could lead to possible delays at anchorage.

Barge operators are expected to assess local weather conditions before determining whether operations can proceed safely at the time.

At St. Eustatius, high wind gusts forecast between 27-31 May and could result in disruptions and delays are expected during the period due to adverse weather conditions.

Meanwhile, offshore Trinidad is expected to face possible disruptions between May 27-31 due to a combination of high wind gusts and rough sea conditions. High seas could lead to delays in offshore operations and vessel activity in the area.

In Colombia, bunker fuel availability is good at the ports of Cartagena, Santa Marta, and Barranquilla. HSFO is not regularly available at the ports. VLSFO and LSMGO are widely available and can be delivered within 3-4 days, a trader said.

In Brazil, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is good across major ports, while HSFO is no longer available.

At Santos, Rio de Janeiro, Paranagua, Rio Grande, Belem and Vila do Conde, suppliers are recommending lead times of 5-8 days, a trader said.

In Argentina’s Zona Comun, bunker demand has seen a slight uptick as the harvest season has brought more vessels to the anchorage area, a source said.

VLSFO and LSMGO availability is normal, with most suppliers able to deliver by barge within 5-7 days.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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