East of Suez Fuel Availability Outlook in International Shipping News 07/01/2026 Singapore and Malaysia In Singapore, most suppliers are now advising lead times of about 2–7 days for VLSFO, compared to 4–6 days last week. LSMGO availability remains good, with prompt delivery dates still on offer. In contrast, HSFO supply is tight and requires 8–11 days of advance notice, largely unchanged from last week’s 9–10 days. At Port Klang, both VLSFO and LSMGO grades are readily available—especially for smaller prompt stems—while HSFO supply remains constrained and harder to secure. East Asia In Zhoushan, most suppliers are currently advising lead times of 5–8 days for all grades amid subdued demand. This compares with last week, when several suppliers quoted 4–7 days for small parcels across all grades, while larger stems above 1,500 mt required slightly longer windows of 6–10 days. Fuel availability across northern China remains uneven. Dalian and Qingdao have adequate stocks of VLSFO and LSMGO, while HSFO remains tight in Qingdao. All grades are in short supply in Tianjin. In Shanghai, VLSFO and HSFO supplies remain limited, while LSMGO availability is stable. Further south, VLSFO and LSMGO availability is tight in Fuzhou. VLSFO supply is sufficient in Xiamen, but LSMGO supply is restricted. Delivery options for both grades remain constrained in Yangpu and Guangzhou. In Hong Kong, lead times remain steady at around seven days for all grades, broadly unchanged from recent weeks. Across Taiwan, suppliers in Keelung, Taichung, Kaohsiung and Hualien can typically deliver VLSFO and LSMGO within two days, almost unchanged from last week. Across South Korea, VLSFO and LSMGO availability remains good despite a pickup in demand after the New Year holidays. Most suppliers continue to recommend lead times of 2–5 days, unchanged from last week. HSFO supply, however, has tightened, with most enquiries now handled on a subject-to-availability basis, compared with 2–5 days of lead time last week. Winter weather poses a risk of operational disruptions. Busan and Ulsan could face disruptions between 7–14 January. Bunker operations at Yeosu could be affected during 7–8 January and again from 10–13 January, while Daesan may see impacts between 7–13 January. In Japan, prompt VLSFO supply remains tight at major ports including Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama and Kawasaki, and is also tight at Osaka, Kobe, Sakai, Mizushima, Nagoya and Yokkaichi. LSMGO availability is generally stable nationwide. B24-VLSFO is only supplied on request at Tokyo, Chiba, Kawasaki and Yokohama. Prompt HSFO availability has tightened across most Japanese ports. Suppliers in Tokuyama are currently short of VLSFO and HSFO, although LSMGO supply there remains adequate. Oceania Across Australia, bunker supply remains broadly stable, with VLSFO and LSMGO readily available and seven-day lead times still the market norm. In Western Australia, lead times of around seven days are recommended for deliveries in Kwinana and Fremantle. Most stems are delivered by barge from a single supplier, although LSMGO can also be supplied by truck. Strong afternoon winds continue to cause occasional scheduling disruptions. In New South Wales, VLSFO can be supplied by both truck and pipeline at Port Kembla, with pipeline batches starting at around 70 mt and smaller volumes delivered by truck. Sydney has one operational barge and can also deliver by truck or, at selected berths, via pipeline. Delivery schedules there are