You are using an outdated browser For a better experience using this site, please upgrade to a modern web browser. Subscribe Get Daily Email Subscribe --> Contact Us Sign in Home News & Features Compliance Costs Bunker Prices Bunker Intelligence Americas News Latest Features World Americas EMEA Asia/Pacific Home News & Features Americas Houston Sees Drop in Bunker Operations for Crude Tankers this Month: Spotbarge Houston Sees Drop in Bunker Operations for Crude Tankers this Month: Spotbarge by Ship & Bunker News Team Friday September 25, 2026 Tweet Follow @shipandbunker Spotbarge analyses bunkering activity based on AIS data and other sources. Image Credit: Spotbarge Houston has seen a sharp drop in bunker operations involving crude oil tankers so far in September compared with both July and August , according to Spotbarge . Analytics firm Spotbarge, which determines bunker demand level from AIS tracking of bunker barges and other sources, has observed 24 deliveries to crude tankers so far this month, compared to 52 in August and 37 in July . Sebastiaan Kosman , founder of Spotbarge, said bunker operations in Houston had risen sharply following the Iran war, driven by increased crude oil and oil product loadings. However, deliveries to crude oil tankers have weakened this month. Kosman told Ship & Bunker the decline could be linked to both lower US crude exports and weaker imports into the Gulf Coast . “It can mean two things, less crude exports due to the reported low US inventories, but also less imports as historically, Houston-Galveston imports have included significant volumes from Mexico, South America and the Middle East, because Gulf Coast refineries are configured to process heavier crude,” he said. Bunkering activity among other vessel segments has also been mixed in Houston. “Number of Containership bunkers are now at 61% vs August (with still 5.5 days to go), if we would linear forecast it this would mean decrease of 25% end of month vs