Fujairah bunker sales hit 15-month high

Market: Oil products
20/05/25

Marine fuel sales at Fujairah, the Middle East's main bunkering and storage hub, rose sharply in April, reaching their highest level in over a year, according to Argus data.

The total amount of marine fuels involved in deals reported to Argus rose to 158,000t last month, the highest since 185,000t in January 2024. Most of these sales were very low-sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO), which accounted for approximately 120,000t. High-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) deals totalled 30,500t.

Reported sales of marine gasoil (MGO) also showed strong growth, rising to 8,430t in April, up from 4,600t in March and 3,700t in April 2024. This increase may be linked to the new Emission Control Area (ECA) in the Mediterranean, which mandates the use of marine fuels with a maximum sulphur content of 0.1pc. Vessels operating in ECAs typically use 0.1pc sulphur MGO.

"We have been seeing more inquiries for large MGO clips in recent weeks," a UAE supplier said. "This month we have sold 800-1,000t parcels of MGO, while in the past sizes were mostly in the 100-500t range."

Argus compiles daily data on deals from suppliers, traders and buyers, capturing up to a quarter of the market, offering a snapshot of broader market trends.

By Elshan Aliyev

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