North America is seeing stable bunker fuel availability across all grades in Houston, with recommended lead times of less than seven days. However, fog conditions are raising concerns at various U.S. Gulf Coast ports, impacting visibility. Particularly, ports like Galveston, Port Arthur, and Lake Charles are experiencing intermittent low visibility, especially during early morning and evening hours, due to moderate to high fog threats. Improvements in these conditions are anticipated by March 17.
Last week, pilot services in the Sabine-Neches Waterway were suspended due to fog but have since resumed as of March 9. Although patchy fog was expected this morning, it is likely to clear later in the day. In terms of bunkering operations, high wind gusts have led to some delays in the Galveston Offshore Lightering Area. New York suppliers are offering VLSFO and LSMGO for prompt deliveries, with lead times around 5-6 days, while HSFO is in tighter supply and requires longer waiting periods.
Possible disruptions from high winds in New York may continue until Monday, although there are currently no backlogs or issues with bunker barge readiness reported. On the West Coast, fuel availability in Los Angeles and Long Beach has improved across all grades, with suppliers recommending lead times exceeding seven days. Meanwhile, in Montreal, Canada, high wind gusts are predicted to affect operations from March 15-17, and barge operations remain limited to daylight hours, leading to backlog congestion. In the Caribbean and Latin America, bunker fuel availability is tight in Panama’s Balboa and Cristobal ports, with VLSFO requiring lead times of approximately 9-10 days.
The port of Bahía Blanca in Argentina is slowly resuming regular operations following a gale on March 7, but a labor strike that began on March 12 could disrupt cargo operations. VLSFO availability remains tight at the Zona Comun anchorage, while Santa Marta, Barranquilla, and Cartagena report good availability for prompt supply.