Asia/Pacific News
ANALYSIS: Singapore Bunker Sales Drop in 1H 2025 on Lower VLSFO Demand
First half 2025 marine fuel sales in Singapore, the world's largest bunkering hub, dropped by nearly 1% compared to the same period last year.
A total of 26.73 million mt of conventional and biofuel blends were sold in 1H 2025, down by 0.9% from last year's same period, 26.98 million mt, according to the latest data from the Maritime and Port Authority.
VLSFO sales dropped by 8.1% to 13.8 million mt, while HSFO sales increased by 4.4% to 10.19 million mt.
Biofuel sales soared to 772,700 mt in 1H 2025, an increase of 168% from the same period last year.
On the other hand, distillate sales grew by 3%, while LNG bunker sales climbed by 15.1% in the same period.
20,720 vessels arrived to take on bunkers in the port city in 1H 2025, down by 0.7% from 20,879.
Meanwhile, the city's total conventional and biofuel bunker sales fell by 6% on the month to 4.53 million mt in June. However, this figure still represents a 7.4% increase compared to sales in June 2024.
If the total from the first six months of the year were to be replicated over the rest of 2025, this year's total for Singapore would reach 53.4 million mt.
Product Breakdown
VLSFO sales dropped by 5.8% on the month to 2.31 million mt in June. HSFO fell by 9.9% to 1.70 million mt, distillates rose by 6.5% to 366,500 mt, and biofuel blends rose by 10.8% to 156,200 mt – a record high.
HSFO's share of the total was 38.9%, up from 37.3% the same month a year earlier.
Separately, LNG bunker sales jumped by 23.1% on the month to 55,400 mt in June, which is also a record high.
No methanol or ammonia bunker sales were recorded during the month.
About 1,000 mt of B100 biofuel was sold in June, down from 1,900 mt in May.
Singapore has been including columns for biofuel blends, LNG and methanol sales since June 2023, and added columns for B100 and ammonia at the start of 2025.
Monthly Bunker Calls Slip
The number of vessels calling at Singapore to bunker dropped on a monthly basis but grew on a yearly basis in June.
A total of 3,402 vessels came to Singapore's waters to bunker in June, down by 6.4% from May's level, but 1.4% higher on the year.
June bunker calls were also the lowest since February.
That left the average conventional and biofuel bunker stem size last month at about 1,334 mt, compared with an average over the previous 12 months of 1,312 mt.
Prices
Singapore's average VLSFO price in June was $531.8/mt, down from $511.4/mt in May.
Ship & Bunker's G20-VLSFO Index of average prices across 20 leading bunkering ports gained 4.7% on the month to $554/mt in June.
Container Visits Jump
The total gross tonnage visiting Singapore jumped by 9.1% on the year to 262.83 million mt in June.
This advance was led by the container segment, where calls by gross tonnage gained by 21.5% to 14.4 million mt. Bulker rose by 2.9%, while tanker tonnage calls grew by a modest 0.8%.
The mandatory mass flow meter systems used to measure all bunker deliveries in Singapore come with a +/-0.5% margin of error, a level considered more accurate than traditional measurement systems used at most other ports, with the added benefit of all but eliminating volumetric malpractice.
Only licensed companies can supply bunkers in Singapore, and the MPA calculates sales based on the bunker delivery notes of those companies.
