Bunker demand stable to firmer across Middle East in October

Demand for bunker fuels strengthened in several key Middle East ports in October, supported by robust pre-bookings and higher demand along the India-Oman shipping routes, with other ports seeing more generally stable supply levels.

Total bunkering and ship-to-ship calls in Dubai rose almost 11% month on month to 133, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data.

"We saw competitive improvement with strong pre-bookings and growing demand from India- and Oman-bound bulk carriers," one Dubai-based trader said Nov. 11.

Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, assessed the average 0.5% sulfur marine fuel price on a delivered Dubai basis down $32.40/mt through October, to close at $484.72/mt at the end of the month.

Fujairah's bunker demand, meanwhile, held firm last month, with a rising interest for high sulfur fuel oil, supported by "higher bulk carrier activity" and "sufficient" product availability, traders said.

Platts assessed 3.5% sulfur HSFO delivered Fujairah down $2.86/mt across October to close at $384.54/mt, maintaining a $7.59/mt discount to Singapore.

Heavy distillate stocks at the port have risen 47% since the end of 2024, while light distillates have climbed 28% and middle distillates rose 53%, according to Fujairah Oil Industry Zone data compiled by Platts.

Oman's bunker market remained stable in October, with steady demand for marine gasoil across Muscat, Sohar, Salalah, and Duqm, market participants, including traders and suppliers, told Platts.

"Our marine gasoil supplies rose marginally around 668 mt to reach 5,000 mt in October, favoured by smooth operations," an Oman-based supplier said Nov. 11.

"We have witnessed a continued surge in gasoil demand since September, supplying approximately 2,500 mt at Salalah in October," another supplier said.

Platts assessed average low-sulfur MGO delivered Salalah for October at $846.22/mt on Nov. 1, up $4.17/mt on the month.

Strong activity at Iraq's southern ports supported steady bunker demand, with Khor Al Zubair handling 479 vessels in October, followed by the Al Basra Oil Terminal with 305, according to the country's sole bunker fuel supplier Sea Crown Marine Services DMCC.

A Platts Bunkerworld survey from November showed that bunker volumes at Iraqi ports rose by 5,000 mt in October to reach 31,000 mt, up from 26,000 mt in August, indicating steady growth in recent months.

Platts assessed the average 0.5% sulfur marine fuel price on a delivered Basrah basis down $9.75/mt for October on the month to close at $507/mt.