West Africa sees bunker demand surge amid Hormuz disruptions - Monjasa

Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis are reshaping global bunker demand, with West Africa “seeing the impact first-hand,” according to bunker supplier Monjasa.

IMAGE: Monjasa’s tankers Monjasa Rover and Monjasa Hunter, which are part of its West Africa fleet. Monjasa

Bunker demand across West Africa has risen markedly since the Iran crisis began, with particularly strong activity reported in Walvis Bay, Namibia and Lomé, Togo.

“The increase is mainly driven by availability issues following disruptions at major bunker hubs such as Fujairah, UAE rather than more vessels re-routing,” Monjasa’s Middle East & Africa general manager Casper Borgen said.

“The bunkering situation in the Middle East is more stable now, but still not fully consistent,” a Middle East-based source said.

Earlier in April, fuel availability in Fujairah tightened amid constrained supply, strict scheduling, firm nominations, and potential delays in barge availability. The resulting uncertainty at key hubs such as the Port of Fujairah led to increased enquiries being redirected to alternative locations, including African ports.

"Initially, it was challenging to match this sudden imbalanced supply and demand across the region," Borgen said, adding that the company is now ready to meet increased demand in the region with its eight tankers and is exploring ways to further optimise its fleet.

Monjasa currently reports good availability of VLSFO, MGO and HSFO, supported by “a mix of existing local sourcing contracts and additional imports.”

Demand remains firm in Lomé, where lead times of around 5–7 days are required for VLSFO and LSMGO. Similarly, some suppliers at Walvis Bay are offering VLSFO and LSMGO deliveries with lead times of approximately 5–7 days.

By Tuhin Roy

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