Rotterdam bunker fuel sales down 2.1% on year in second quarter

Marine fuel and lubricant sales at Rotterdam, the world’s third-largest bunkering port, slipped 2.1% year-on-year in the second quarter, a port authority official told S&P Global Platts Tuesday.

Total sales dropped to 2.49 million cu m in the three months to June 30 from 2.55 million cu m a year earlier. Fuel oil sales sank by 3% to 2.08 million cu m, while marine gasoil and marine diesel oil demand together climbed 2% to 385,446 cu m.

Marine lubricant sales jumped 17.1% to 26,425 cu m.

Sales at Singapore, the world’s largest bunkering hub, also declined in the second quarter, losing 2.3% to 12.27 million mt. An unexpected drop in June sales was the main factor behind that decline, but demand rose again in July.

Demand at the port of Fujairah is expected to have dropped sharply as a result of the Qatari crisis, but not yet by enough for Rotterdam to take its place as the second-largest bunkering port in the world.

Demand from Qatari flagged vessels is largely expected to be shifting to other ports in the same region, rather than more distant European and Asian ports.