Antwerp-Bruges bunker sales overtake Rotterdam

VLSFO leads conventional bunker sales surge

LNG volumes highest on record

Biofuel sales surge but lag Rotterdam's

Bunker suppliers in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges delivered around 2.5 million mt of marine fuel to ships in the first quarter of 2026, up around 39% from the previous quarter.

Antwerp’s bunker sales rose above Rotterdam’s volumes. Rotterdam saw a 25% decline in bunker sales in the first quarter compared to the previous quarter, data showed last week.

The Rotterdam Port Authority attributed some of the drop to the implementation of the third Renewable Energy Directive (RED III) in the Netherlands, which triggered price increases from suppliers over the new year.

According to ENGINE’s price data, Rotterdam’s VLSFO price averaged around $9/mt higher than Antwerp’s in the January and February 2026 after RED III was implemented, compared to an average premium of around $1/mt observed in 2025.  

In March, prices were extremely volatile as conflict broke out in the Middle East, impacting the oil and gas flows through the Strait of Hormuz. This made it difficult to isolate the price impact of RED III during that month. 

The Port of Rotterdam authority said last week, that the market volatility could have also weighed on bunker sales in the port, but expects to see a full impact in second-quarter bunker volumes. 

VLSFO leads conventional fuel sales rise

Much of the 706,000 mt gain in Antwerp's total bunker sales was led by VLSFO sales, which increased by around 83% on the quarter, to 955,000 mt in the first quarter.

VLSFO was the most sold fuel grade in Antwerp-Bruges, making up around 38% of all bunker fuel sold during the quarter.

Compared to the first quarter of 2025, VLSFO sales increased by around 35% in the first quarter of 2026.

HSFO sales increased to 718,000 mt, which was up by 37% on the quarter and 9% on the year.

ULSFO sales stood at 164,000 mt, a 32% gain from the previous quarter.

Meanwhile, MGO sales of 338,000 mt was a 2% dip on the quarter and a 4% dip on the year.

LNG sales largest on record

LNG bunkered in Antwerp-Bruges rose by 85% on the quarter to 90,000 mt. That was the largest since the port authority started compiling data on LNG bunker volumes.

The sales surpassed the previous record of 88,000 mt of LNG sold in second quarter of 2025.

LNG bunker volumes have more than tripled since the first quarter of 2025.

Their share of total bunker volumes has also increased to 4% in the first quarter of 2026, compared to just 1% in the first quarter of 2025.

Antwerp’s LNG sales lagged Rotterdam’s volumes in the first quarter. This was because LNG bunker volumes increased by 39% in Rotterdam on the quarter to 120,000 mt.

Biofuel sales surge, but still behind Rotterdam

Bio-blended bunker sales surged 89% higher to 21,000 mt in Antwerp-Bruges during first quarter of 2026, compared to the last quarter of 2025.

The surge can be explained by an 80% drop in biofuel sales in the previous quarter.

Biofuel volumes were still down by 51% compared to the first quarter of 2025.

Comparatively, Rotterdam’s bio-blended bunker sales fell by 33% in the first quarter to 112,000 mt, port authority data showed last week.

By Nachiket Tekawade

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