Marine fuels
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Latest marine fuels news
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Brazil to expand support for biodiesel bunkering
Brazil to expand support for biodiesel bunkering
Sao Paulo, 24 July (Argus) — Brazil's hydrocarbons regulator ANP has launched a 45-day public consultation on proposed changes to bunker fuel specifications, as it seeks to align national standards with the latest International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements and decarbonization targets. The draft regulation would replace the ANP resolutions that govern marine diesel and marine fuel oil sales in Brazil and establish a framework for alternative and renewable bunker fuels. The proposal would tighten requirements for fuel quality control, certification, sampling, traceability and identification, in line with MARPOL Annex VI, the IMO rules to cut greenhouse gases. ANP proposes classifying biodiesel, hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and synthetic fuels as drop-in alternatives, allowing them to be used in place of conventional petroleum-based marine fuels without modifications to engines or bunkering infrastructure. The regulator is also seeking to clarify which market participants may carry out fuel blending activities and would allow 100pc biodiesel sales to commercial customers for use in their own vessels. The proposed changes reflect increasing interest in alternative marine fuels and Brazil's broader energy transition strategy. ANP would establish a pathway for experimental authorizations covering fuels not yet included in the ISO 8217 marine fuel standard, including ethanol, methanol, ammonia and hydrogen. The draft regulation would also introduce specific rules for LNG bunker fuel. LNG bunkering operations would require prior ANP authorization, reflecting the early stage of Brazil's LNG bunkering infrastructure development. By Gabriel Tassi Lara Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
UAE's Fujairah anxious about VLSFO supplies
UAE's Fujairah anxious about VLSFO supplies
Dubai, 23 July (Argus) — Bunker market participants in the UAE's Fujairah, the Middle East's prime marine fuels centre, have been assessing the future supply of very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) to the port, hoping to avoid a repeat of the severe supply crunch in June. A disruption of Kuwaiti exports through the strait of Hormuz as well as news on the expected restart of a residual fluid catalytic cracker (RFCC) at Dangote's 650,000 b/d Lekki refinery in Nigeria, have increased concerns about short and mid-term bunker fuel availability. Vortexa shows no VLSFO cargoes from Kuwait's 615,000 b/d al-Zour refinery left the Mideast Gulf in July. The last shipment was around 60,000t of VLSFO on board the Hydra , delivered to an unnamed terminal within the Gulf on 11 July. The larger share of the plant's fuel oil output is typically kept for domestic power generation in summer months, further reducing export availability. A 100,000t shipment of low-sulphur straight-run residuals (LSSR) from Dangote in June had brought relief to the Fujairah market, after the acute supply crunch in June, when Fujairah delivered bunker premiums against cargo prices surged by 600pc to over $700/t. But the return of the Dangote RFCC, scheduled currently to be by the end of this month, could mean that the potential flow of feedstock material will soon not be available. "Supplies are okay at the moment, but looking ahead at the second-half August, there are increasing concerns," a Fujairah bunker supplier said. Vortexa shows just one vessel — the Abliani with 92,000t of low-sulphur residuals — departed the Black Sea port of Taman on 10 July, signalling Fujairah for 16 August arrival. The vessel has been anchored near Port Said, Egypt, since 18 July, and it is not clear if it will proceed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait after a ban announced by Yemen's Houthi militia and subsequent attacks on two Saudi oil tankers. The ban did not specify if it would focus only on Saudi vessels, but can impact all vessel traffic by increasing war risk insurance premiums. Fuel oil, including high-sulphur grade, accounted for 37pc of the 1.6mn b/d of oil products that flowed through the Bab el-Mandeb strait in 2025. Vessels smaller than very-large crude carriers can still depart the ports on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast and journey through the Suez canal and then around the Cape of Good Hope, but such a diversion will come at a significantly higher cost. By Elshan Aliyev Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Asia bunker prices rally on renewed Middle East tension
Asia bunker prices rally on renewed Middle East tension
Singapore, 23 July (Argus) — Delivered prices at the bunker hub of Singapore surged after disruptions to shipping and supplies from the Red Sea raised prices within the energy complex on 22 July. The Argus -assessed very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) rose by $45.34/t on the day to $790.15/t dob on 22 July, increasing by 6.1pc on the day and rising by 23pc on the month. Singapore's VLSFO prices last rallied in late May but trended down closer to pre-war levels at $590.42/t dob on 6 July in line with easing crude futures. Singapore's high-sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) price rose by $42.33/t on the day to $623.58/t dob on 22 July, which was up by 7.3pc on the day and around 33pc on the month. HSFO prices had also corrected to near pre-war levels in June, and fell further to $429/t dob on 1 July on ample cargo inflows to Asia from countries like Russia and Venezuela. Meanwhile, prices for low-sulphur marine gasoil (LSMGO) climbed by $82.69/t on the day to $1,258.69/t dob on 22 July, up by 7pc on the day and 38pc on the month. Asian bunker premiums against cargo prices have climbed in the region since the US-Iran war started, a shipowner said. The delivered premium for Singapore VLSFO price against cargo price stood at $10.27/t ahead of the war on 27 February, but the premium has almost tripled to $28.65/t on 22 July. The HSFO bunker spread was almost flat at a 25¢/t premium against cargo price on 27 February, but the premium has since climbed to around $36/t on 22 July. Market fundamentals stay mixed Prior to this rally, ship owners had thin spot demand for July and August in Asia, given a sense of caution and the recent market volatility and ongoing tensions in the Middle East. On the supply front, second-half July delivered supplies of VLSFO in Asia were largely sufficient. This has shifted compared with supplies of delivered VLSFO in the first half of July when offers rose because of tight prompt-availabilities. In Singapore, market participants noted that there were no immediate disruptions to bunker supplies. But some suppliers are finding it difficult to provide fuel that is above standard ISO fuel quality specifications and may instead offer grades that just meet the required standards, one buyer said. There were limited refuelling slots for VLSFO at the port of Singapore in the second half of July because of tight bunkering schedules lined up for incoming ships. This has also supported recent VLSFO prices. More vessels are also slow steaming to save on fuel consumption, so lesser bunkering trading volumes are required, a trader said. Participants in the freight market are also adopting a wait-and-see approach towards ship movements around the Red Sea. A wider range of bunker prices has also been seen in the Singapore market since the US-Iran war started, as a result of occasional delays to cargo arrivals depending on suppliers. The wider price range has slowed trading since buyers without urgent requirements would prefer to delay their trades in a backwardated market. Bunker delivery dates have become an important factor for pricing, market participants said, noting that prompter delivery dates of just two days could warrant a $40/t premium in offer levels. Bunker sales in the city-state had recovered in June , particularly with more vessel arrivals and lower prices. Firm bunker consumption may continue in July, given that Singapore remains a key bunkering hub, particularly with recent weather disruptions at regional Chinese ports. But overall trading is likely to be weighed on by recent price rallies and cautious buying sentiment in a price-sensitive sector. By Cassia Teo Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Alternative-fuel vessel orders fall in 1H 2026: DNV
Alternative-fuel vessel orders fall in 1H 2026: DNV
Sao Paulo, 2 July (Argus) — Orders for alternative-fuelled vessels fell to 137 in the first half of 2026 from 151 a year earlier, Norwegian classification society DNV said. Vessel orders were also down in June, with 15 alternative-fuelled ships ordered from 36 in May . Uncertainty surrounding the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) proposals on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions regulation may have contributed to the overall reduction in the alternative-fuelled vessel orderbook. Last October, the IMO failed to adopt the GHG pricing mechanism , postponing the vote for a year. In April, Hong Kong-based dry shipping firm Pacific Basin Shipping cancelled a contract for four methanol dual-fuel Ultramax vessels, converting the order to conventional vessels, citing uncertainty over regulations. Orders were lower for LNG-fuelled vessels in the first half of 2026, in line with the overall decline, accounting for 73 ships in the orderbook, down from 87 in the first half of 2025. In June, 10 LNG-fuelled ships were ordered. LNG remains ahead in the alternative vessel order books due to wider availability and the fuel's ability to meet greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rules. But concerns remain about its flexibility and longer term availability as bunker consumption competes with power generation and transportation needs. So far this year, 55 LPG carriers have been added to the order book, rising from only 17 orders in the same period in 2025. Five LPG/ethane carriers accounted for the remaining June orders. In the year to date, two methanol-fuelled ships have been ordered, down from 40 in the first half of 2025. Orders for ammonia-fuelled ships rose to four from three. Only one hydrogen-fuelled ship has been ordered, compared with four in the same period last year. Two ethanol-fuelled ships have been ordered, but DNV has no data for 2025 as ethanol was only recently registered. No orders were placed for vessels fuelled by methanol, ethanol, ammonia or hydrogen in June. In the first half of the year, 61 LNG-fuelled vessels were delivered, followed by 38 methanol-fuelled ships. By Natália Coelho Alternative-fuelled vessels orders 2026 Type of fuel Orders in June Orders so far in 2026 LNG 10 73 LPG 5 55 Methanol/Ethanol 0 4 Ammonia 0 4 Hydrogen 0 1 DNV Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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