A weekly Argus news digest of interest to the conventional and alternative marine fuel markets. To speak to our team about accessing the stories below and access to Argus Marine Fuels, please contact marinefuels@argusmedia.com.
Alternative marine fuels
13 October Japan's NYK Line expands LNG bunkering in Kyushu Japanese shipping firm Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) completed its first shore-to-ship fuel LNG bunkering on 12 October for a Panamax coal carrier at the port of Tobata in south Japan's Fukuoka prefecture in the Kyushu region.
13 October Role for CO2 removals in EU ETS post-2030: Analysts Carbon-removal technology could offer a way of balancing increasingly tight supply in the EU emissions trading system (ETS) next decade, analysts said at a conference in London this week, warning that support for scaling up the industry should not be left too late.
13 October Calif judge blocks P66 RD output until permit fix The largest US refinery conversion to renewable diesel (RD) production must resolve permitting issues before it can operate, a California judge clarified yesterday.
13 October Bunker fuel mix to be 20pc alt by 2030: Bunker Holding Danish marine fuel trader and supplier Bunker Holding said it expects a fifth of the bunker fuel mix to comprise of "new fuels" by 2030, delegates heard at the Argus Biofuels conference in London.
13 October Methanex to restart Trinidad plant, idle another Methanol producer Methanex plans to restart its 875,000 metric tonne/yr Titan plant and idle its 1.1mn t/yr Atlas plant in Trinidad and Tobago next year.
12 October Brazil weighs on global biofuel production: IEA Global biofuel output fell by 96,000 b/d month-on-month to just under 3.5mn b/d in September, with Brazilian ethanol and biodiesel production continuing to fall.
12 October Port of Galveston to study shoreside power The Port of Galveston, Texas, will launch a shore power pilot program to demonstrate how ships can plug into a shoreside power source and cut their emissions.
12 October Croatian port to get 1mn t/yr green ammonia from Brazil Project developer Green Energy Park (GEP) intends to build a renewable ammonia facility in Brazil for exports to its planned 10mn t/yr import terminal on the Croatian island of Krk.
11 October Peninsula wins Gibraltar LNG bunkering licence UK bunker supplier Peninsula has been granted a LNG bunkering operator licence in Gibraltar.
11 October Malaysia bets on low-carbon hydrogen Low-carbon hydrogen made from natural gas with carbon capture and storage or utilisation will be crucial for driving Malaysia's decarbonisation ambitions in the coming decades, although renewable hydrogen will catch up until 2050, according to a government roadmap.
11 October CCS ammonia industry faces demand roadblocks Momentum in the carbon capture and sequestration (CCS)-based ammonia-production industry is gathering fast, but a lack of clarity over demand and the achievability of price premiums risks threatening the pace of project financing and commissioning.
10 October China's Zhoushan adds to B24 biofuels bunkering East China's Zhoushan port has completed a B24 biofuels bunkering trial to a container vessel, becoming the first port in China to allow marine biofuel and LNG refuelling services at offshore anchorage
10 October German H2 developer expands to US German hydrogen developer Hy2Gen has expanded its business to the US with the launch of its wholly-owned subsidiary, Hy2Gen USA.
10 October Q&A: Japan may use over 30mn t/yr ammonia by 2040: CFAA Low-carbon ammonia is expected to play a crucial role in Japan's efforts to reach net zero emissions. It could be widely used for power generation by utilities and at industrial in-house power generators. Argus spoke with Japan's Clean Fuel Ammonia Association (CFAA) president, Shigeru Muraki, about the outlook for ammonia demand, costs and government subsidies.
9 October Safe Bulkers buys 2 methanol dual-fuel bulkers Cyprus-based dry bulk shipowner Safe Bulkers has acquired two methanol-capable, dual-fuel Kamsarmax vessels to be delivered in late 2026 and early 2027, another sign that dual-fuel ship technology is gaining momentum among shipowners.
Conventional marine fuels
13 October KPC offers more HFO as Kuwaiti utilities shift to LSFO Kuwait's state-owned KPC plans to offer more heavy fuel oil (HFO) cargoes as domestic utilities shift to using low-sulphur fuel oil (LSFO).
13 October Newcastlemax vessels fill newbuild orderbook Dry bulk carriers were the focus of the newbuild market for the third week in a row with over 2.2mn dwt ordered in the week ending 8 October.
12 October Singapore's oil product stocks fall to 12-week low Singapore's overall oil product inventories fell to a 12-week low of 39.79mn bl, as oil product stocks across the barrel dropped in the latest week ending 11 October.
12 October Refining activity diverging by geography: IEA Refiners are on track to increase output this year, the IEA said today, but refining activity is diverging considerably by geography.
11 October Belgian diesel exports to west Africa hit 5-year high Belgian diesel and gasoil deliveries to west Africa reached a near five-year high last month as the region appeared to replenish stocks, according to market sources.
11 October Indonesia's Pertamina plans Plaju refinery maintenance Indonesia's state-owned Pertamina will carry out maintenance at its 118,000 b/d Plaju refinery in south Sumatra from mid-October for about a month.
10 October EU cuts shipping exemption from antitrust laws The European Commission has announced it would not extend the exemption for liner shipping consortia from EU antitrust laws.
10 October New refinery will not top 9,000 b/d in 2023: Pemex Mexico's new 340,000 b/d Olmeca refinery will produce 9,000 b/d of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel by year-end, according to Pemex's forecasts that contradict the energy minister's pledges of the refinery producing 290,000 b/d by the same time.
10 October German distillate market to tighten The German distillate market could tighten in the coming weeks as low Rhine river water levels weigh on imports and a fire in Bavaria's 207,000 b/d Bayernoil refinery reduces availability in the south.
9 October NE Asian MR rates rise on high activity, tight supply Clean Medium Range (MR) freight rates from the northeast Asia region rose, as trade activity increased and as vessel supply was low.
9 October Safe Bulkers buys 2 methanol dual-fuel bulkers Cyprus-based dry bulk shipowner Safe Bulkers has acquired two methanol-capable, dual-fuel Kamsarmax vessels to be delivered in late 2026 and early 2027, another sign that dual-fuel ship technology is gaining momentum among shipowners.
9 October PetroEcuador awards fuel oil tender to Galtrade State-owned PetroEcuador plans to sell 760,000 bl of residual fuel oil to trading company Galtrade, following a tender involving five bidders.
