Refined Products, Maritime & Shipping, Diesel-Gasoil, Fuel Oil
June 15, 2025
FUJAIRAH DATA: May ship bunker sales drop to three-month low
HIGHLIGHTS
Sales drop 8.3% from April
LSFO grade down 8.2%
HSFO declines 13%
The UAE's Port of Fujairah reported ship fuel sales of 618,750 cu m for May, the lowest in three months, according to port data published June 15.
The total was down 8.3% from April to the lowest since February's record low of 558,300 cu m, the data showed. The port has been sharing its ship fuel sales figures with Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, since 2021.
Sales of low sulfur fuel oil 380 CST dropped 8.2% from April to 407,208 cu m in May, and high sulfur marine fuel oil 380 CST declined 13% to 31,572 cu m over the same period.
May's sales volumes for both the LSFO and HSFO segments sank to the lowest in three months, where LSFO sales were recorded lower at 383,005 cu m and 142,595 mt for HSFO earlier in February.
All other categories also showed declines, except for 180 CST low sulfur fuel oil sales, at 9,972 cu m in May compared with 885 cu m in April, and marine gasoil sales, at 662 cu m compared with 307 cu m over the same period.
Fujairah is the world's third-largest bunkering hub after Singapore and Rotterdam.
Macroeconomic uncertainties involving tariff regulations have resulted in bunker demand volatility, which traders expect should persist throughout the three-month tariff pause.
Lackluster flows of LSFO inquiries have also spurred competition among suppliers, as sellers were keen to clear their stockpiles and reduce physical exposures amid steeper prompt backwardation earlier in May.
The Platts-assessed Fujairah-delivered marine fuel 0.5% sulfur bunker premium over benchmark FOB Singapore marine fuel 0.5%S cargo averaged $6.42/mt in May, below the $6.22/mt average in April, and continued to trend lower at $4.76/mt so far in June.
As the HSFO market has generally been well-supplied over the past couple of months, competition also intensified among sellers looking to draw down their ample inventories.
However, demand dynamics were still seen lagging rising HSFO supplies since June, thus pressuring downstream differentials.
Moreover, HSFO suppliers in Fujairah also faced headwinds from competitive offers available around the neighboring Khor Fakkan.
The Platts-assessed Fujairah-delivered 380 CST HSFO bunker premiums to fuel oil 380 CST 3.5%S FOB Arab Gulf cargoes slipped to average $14.35/mt in May, more than halved the $29.55/mt for the whole of April, and has since fallen to only 69 cents/mt June 2-13.
Fujairah May 2025 bunker sales
| May-25 | Apr-25 | MOM | May-24 | YOY | |
| Low sulfur fuel oil 180 CST | 9,972 | 885 | 1026.8% | 464.00 | 2049.1% |
| Low sulfur fuel oil 380 CST | 407,208 | 443,509 | -8.2% | 422,659.00 | -3.7% |
| Marine fuel oil 380CST | 164,882 | 189,388 | -12.9% | 163,893.00 | 0.6% |
| Marine gasoil | 662 | 307 | 115.6% | 61.00 | 985.2% |
| Low sulfur marine gasoil | 31,572 | 35,289 | -10.5% | 28,385.00 | 11.2% |
| Lubricants | 4,454 | 5,296 | -15.9% | 4,592.00 | -3.0% |
| Total | 618,750 | 674,674 | -8.3% | 620,054 | -0.2% |
| LSFO proportions | 67.4% | 65.9% | 68.2% | ||
| HSFO proportions | 26.6% | 28.1% | 26.4% | ||
| LSMGO proportions | 5.1% | 5.2% | 4.6% |
Unit: cubic meters
Source: Port of Fujairah, Platts
