US heavy bunker sales down in 2015: EIA
US residual bunker fuel sales dropped to their lowest levels in 2015 since the Energy Information Administration began recording the data in 1984. By contrast, sales of marine gasoil (MGO) in 2015 were up to their highest level since 1999.
In 2015, US heavy bunker fuel sales were down by 13pc to about 12.40mn t and MGO was up 52pc to about 7.72mn t since 2014. But aggregate marine sales – fuel oil and MGO - were up 4pc. In a webinar presentation in July, Argus projected US 2015 bunker sales at 7.1mn t for MGO and at 12mn t for heavy bunkers.
The shift to MGO reflected tightening of marine fuel regulations, which required vessels to burn 0.1pc sulphur bunkers, down from 1pc sulphur bunkers in US territorial waters from January 2015.
Residual bunker fuel sales were down on the east and Gulf coast, but increased on the west coast. Sales in California were up by over 400,000t to 3.11mn t and in Washington up by 171,000t to 1.47mn t. California was the second biggest state for residual bunkers after Texas with sales of 3.23mn t. Aggregate 2015 New York and New Jersey residual sales were 1.45mn t. Louisiana accounted for the bulk of MGO sales at 1.59mn t and California sales were 724,000t. Houston residual sales were 1.48mn t. US Gulf coast MGO is often priced at a discount to other bunkering ports in North and Latin America because of ample distillate availabilities there.
The number of vessel calls did not significant affect US bunker sales. According to US' Maritime Administration, the number of vessel calls in the US was slightly up from 82,044 in 2014 to 82,288 in 2015. On a gross tonnage basis, container and general cargo vessel calls were flat, dry bulk vessel calls were down and gas carriers, ro-ro vessels and tanker calls were up. Tankers accounted for the most calls and the highest gross tonnage with 32,582 calls and 1.16bn gross tonnes.
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