Asia/Pacific News
Bunker Availability in Indian Ports Seen Improving as Refinery Supply Recovers
Bunker fuel availability in several Indian ports is gradually returning to normal.
Supply at India's west coast ports, including Kandla, has improved following the resumption of operations at Indian Oil Corporation's Koyali refinery after maintenance, a source told Ship & Bunker.
Beyond the west coast, product availability has also improved across other Indian ports, according to another source.
Ship & Bunker reported in January that an increase in Indian fuel oil exports to Sri Lanka tightened supply in Mumbai.
Although bunker demand in Colombo remains good, some trades have been lost recently to Indian ports, a Sri Lankan trader told Ship & Bunker.
This indicates that some shipowners have started opting for Indian ports for bunkering needs, which is partly because Indian ports now have better fuel availability and more competitive pricing.
The delivered price of VLSFO in Mumbai is now $22/mt lower than in Colombo, according to Ship & Bunker pricing. In contrast, from February through the first week of this month, prices were either at parity or Mumbai occasionally trading at a premium over Colombo.
Bunker demand from container ships in Colombo remains strong, but demand from other ship segments remains weak, the trader added.
