Panama bunker sales climb in March

Sales of VLSFO and LSMGO increased both on a total and daily average basis.

Changes in Panama bunker fuel sales from February to March:

• Total sales up 54,000 mt to 498,000 mt
• VLSFO sales up 42,000 mt to 320,000 mt
• LSMGO sales up 5,000 mt to 47,000 mt
• HSFO sales up 6,000 mt to 120,000 mt
• 0.5% MGO sales up 400 mt to 10,700 mt

Panama's March sales have increased from February, with VLSFO driving most of the month-on-month growth, according to preliminary data from the Panama Maritime Authority.

VLSFO sales have risen by about 15% in March, while LSMGO volumes have increased by around 12%. HSFO sales have also edged higher, up by roughly 5% monthly.

Total sales have averaged about 16,100 mt/day in March, up from around 15,900 mt/day in February.

A total of 696 ships have bunkered at Panama’s ports in March, up from 609 ships in February, while the number of barges operating remains steady at 31.

The average stem size has declined to around 715 mt, from 729 mt in the previous month.

VLSFO has remained the dominant grade in Panama’s bunker market in March, accounting for around 64% of total sales.

HSFO’s share has held at about 24%, while MGO volumes have made up roughly 11% of overall sales.

In Panama, bunker demand remains robust and prices are high, with availability showing improvement compared to last week, a trader told ENGINE.

In both Balboa and Cristobal, the recommended lead times stand at 3–5 days for VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO requires slightly longer, at 4–7 days.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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