SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Platts proposes review of Americas bunkers assessments

Platts is launching a comprehensive review of its Americas bunker fuel assessment methodology, including laycans and minimum and maximum size ranges considered for both ex-wharf and delivered assessments.

The goals for the review are to determine typical laycans that best represent the period of time during which most bunker buying and selling occurs, and also to determine the typical size range for transactions of IFO 380, IFO 180 and MGO in all the ports assessed by Platts in the Americas.

Platts periodically reviews the specifications of its assessments to ensure they are representative of market activity. Such reviews may lead to changes to the existing specifications of an assessment, though any changes would be subject to further industry consultation ahead of any final decision. This review could lead to different size ranges considered for ex-wharf compared with delivered assessments.

Platts currently assesses US Atlantic Coast, US Gulf Coast, Central and South American ports three to seven days out. US West Coast ports are assessed three to 10 days out.

Currently, typical size ranges in mt for IFO 380, IFO 180 and MGO are as follows, for both ex-wharf and delivered assessments:

Port IFO 380/180 MGO Balboa 500-2000 500-2000 Buenos Aires 500-2000 500-2000 Cartagena 500-2000 500-2000 Charleston 500-2000 100-500 Cristobal 500-2000 500-2000 El Callao 500-2000 500-2000 Guayaquil 500-2000 500-2000 Houston 500-2000 500-2000 Libertad 500-2000 500-2000 Los Angeles 1000-3000 1000-3000 Montevideo 500-2000 500-2000 Montreal 500-2000 300-500 New Orleans 500-2000 200-1500 New York 500-2000 500-2000 Norfolk 400-2000 400-2000 Panama Canal 500-2000 500-2000 Philadelphia 500-2000 500-2000 Portland 200-800 200-500 San Francisco 1000-3000 1000-3000 Santos 500-2000 500-2000 Savannah 500-2000 500-2000 Seattle 500-2000 500-2000 Valparaiso 500-2000 500-2000 Vancouver 500-2000 100-500

Please send all comments by April 25, 2016, to americas_bunkers@platts.com and pricegroup@platts.com.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.