Americas Fuel Availability Outlook 9 Apr

New York lead times improve

Santos remains congested

Zona Comun bunkering suspended

IMAGE: Aerial view of a port in Brazil. Getty Images.

North America

Bunker fuel demand in Houston remains steady, though availability continues to fluctuate and is tight for prompt supply across all three conventional fuel grades of HSFO, VLSFO and LSMGO.

"Houston has seen intermittent tightness, largely dependent on how smoothly suppliers are able to reload amid ongoing weather disruptions," a trader said.

Recommended lead times stand at 6–8 days for all three grades this week.

Weather conditions in the US Gulf are generally stable, but occasional high wind gusts and elevated sea states continue to disrupt bunker operations.

"It has certainly improved, but we are not quite through the fog season yet," a source noted.

In the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA), weather-related disruptions are expected between 10-13 April due to strong winds and high seas. While deliveries are currently ongoing, conditions remain marginal.

"At this time, conditions appear to be just below the cutoff. However, supply vessels will make case-by-case decisions based on local conditions over the next several days," a trader tells ENGINE.

In New York, bunker demand remains healthy, with availability improving compared to the previous week.

VLSFO and LSMGO are available from most suppliers within recommended lead times of 5–7 days, while HSFO may require up to 8 days for delivery.

Weather conditions in the region are expected to remain largely calm over the weekend, with winds of 10–15 knots and wave heights below 1 foot, which should support smoother bunker operations.

On the US West Coast, bunker availability remains tight for prompt supply. At the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, HSFO and LSMGO require lead times of around 7–9 days, while VLSFO is comparatively tighter, with recommended lead times of 9–11 days.

Suppliers at these ports remain selective, typically accepting bookings for minimum stem sizes of 300–500 mt, and are often refraining from quoting for smaller parcels, a source said.

Availability in Vancouver has improved compared to the previous week. Lead times across all three conventional fuel grades have eased to around one week, down from 7–9 days previously.

Latin America and the Caribbean

In Panama, bunker demand remains robust, with availability showing improvement compared to last week, a trader told ENGINE.

In both Balboa and Cristobal, the recommended lead times are 3–5 days for VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO requires slightly longer at 4–7 days.

In Colombia, VLSFO and LSMGO can be delivered within lead times of 4-5 days. In ports where HSFO is available, such as Santa Marta and Barranquilla, the earliest delivery dates are between 5-6 days.

In Freeport, Bahamas, at least one supplier is offering HSFO and LSMGO with lead times of around 6–7 days. Currently, anchorage deliveries have been suspended due to strong winds and prolonged delays are expected.

Offshore Trinidad, bunkering operations could face weather-related disruptions between 9-13 April due to strong winds and rough seas. Any delays will depend on conditions at the time of delivery, a source said.

In Brazil, Santos is seeing some congestion in VLSFO availability, while LSMGO supply remains readily available. Recommended lead times for both VLSFO and LSMGO are around 5–7 days.

Across other ports, including Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande, Salvador, and Belém/Vila do Conde, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is generally stable. Lead times across these ports are typically around 5–7 days for both grades.

Paranaguá comparatively has tighter conditions where VLSFO availability is limited and subject to consultation. LSMGO supply is also constrained and handled on a case-by-case basis.

Lead times here are slightly longer, at around 7–9 days depending on enquiry specifics, a source said.

In Zona Comun, bunkering operations are currently suspended amid wind gusts exceeding 20 knots.

Operations are expected to resume later in the day as conditions improve. Recommended lead times for VLSFO and LSMGO are around 7–8 days.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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