Biofuel Bunker Snapshot: Conventional fuel slump drags bio-blends
Rotterdam’s B30-VLSFO dips below $600/mt
Bio-VLSFO dominates bunker sales in key hubs
Singapore bio-bunker sales fall for third straight month
Rotterdam
Rotterdam’s B30-VLSFO (HBE) price has dropped by $25/mt, while its B30-LSMGO (HBE) has fallen by a steeper $40/mt in the past week.
The downward trend has extended across the wider ARA region, with B30-VLSFO (UCOME) and B30-LSMGO (UCOME) prices down by $19–34/mt.
Sharp $22–44/mt declines in conventional VLSFO and LSMGO benchmarks have weighed heavily on the bio-bunker prices, while a smaller $10/mt decrease in Prima’s POMEME CIF ARA and UCOME FOB ARA barge values has done little to offset losses.
A $6/mt rise in Dutch HBE rebates for marine B30 blends has further deepened the declines.
Rotterdam’s total bio-bunker sales rose to 201,000 mt in the third quarter of 2025. Bio-VLSFO sales increased by 53,000 mt to reach 122,000 mt, lifting their share of total bio-bunker volumes to 60% from 40% in the previous quarter.
Singapore
Singapore’s B24-VLSFO and B24-LSMGO prices have each fallen by $26/mt over the past week.
A $40/mt decline in both VLSFO and LSMGO benchmarks dragged bio-bunker prices lower, but a $20/mt rise in Prima’s UCOME FOB China barge price helped limit further losses.
UCOME FOB China prices held steady at around $1,180–1,190/mt on Friday, narrowing slightly from Thursday’s $1,180–1,200/mt range. Offers were reported near $1,200/mt, which indicated that most trades took place below this level, Ulrich Arnheiter, market analyst at Prima Markets said.
“Demand has mainly come from Singapore and Hong Kong, which is assumed to be fulfilling the bio-bunkering sector,” Prima added.
Freight rates for UCOME cargoes from China to Singapore have remained almost unchanged, edging up by just $0.25/mt on the week.
The port’s total bio-bunker sales fell to 115,000 mt in September, down from 130,000 mt in August, marking the third straight monthly decline. Bio-VLSFO blends – typically at a 24% blend ratio – made up the majority of volumes at 72,000 mt.
Other bio-bunker news
Coral Marine, a subsidiary of Motor Oil Group, announced its first biofuel delivery operation by barge at the Greek port of Piraeus. The final product was a marine B24 bio-blend, with biofuel produced by Verd, a Motor Oil subsidiary, and fossil fuel refined at Motor Oil's refinery, the company said.
By Konica Bhatt
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