• 2018 December 13 14:44

    Uncertainty lingers in fuel markets despite OPEC cuts

    The Bunker Review is contributed by Marine Bunker Exchange

    World oil indexes rose steeply on December 7 as OPEC+ agreed to reduce output to drain global fuel inventories and support the market. However, later on the decision to cut 800,000 bpd (OPEC) plus another 400,000 bpd (non-OPEC) has failed to have any significant effect on international prices, with the improvement possibly a lot more modest than expected by OPEC.

    MABUX World Bunker Index (consists of a range of prices for 380 HSFO, 180 HSFO and MGO at the main world hubs), also lost a chance to resume upward evolution and finally demonstrated firm downward trend in the period of Dec.06 – Dec.13:
        
    380 HSFO - down from 393.36 to 375.07 USD/MT (-18.29)
    180 HSFO - down from 443.21 to 424.07 USD/MT (-19.14)
    MGO         - down from 610.79 to 605.29 USD/MT (-5.50)

    OPEC+ agreed that the 1.2 million bpd cut will begin in January, with a review scheduled for April. OPEC will take 800,000 bpd of the total, and non-OPEC countries will take on the other 400,000 bpd. The baseline used to measure the cuts is October production levels. The cut is larger than some forecasts had expected. There won’t be country-specific quotas. However, Iran, Libya, and Venezuela have all received some kind of special dispensation.  The official line is that Iran and Venezuela were both exempted because they are still under U.S. sanctions: Iran over the nuclear deal and Venezuela over the destruction of democracy and human rights violations. Libya has been given a pass due to its chronic production outages.

    Russia, as expected, played a pivotal role in the deal, and its willingness to go along with a larger-than-expected cut was the key factor in the oil production’s cut. However, Russia is planning to reduce its oil production only by 50,000 bpd to 60,000 bpd in January and it may take it may take months to reach the 228,000-bpd (Russian’s share) production reduction. Anyway, the deal can be called a success for two reasons: it takes 1.2 million bpd off of the market beginning in January, which will go a long way to erasing the surplus. And it also removes a great deal of uncertainty about what to expect in the near future: it’s reasonable to assume that any surplus or deficit won’t be so large as to lead to dramatic price swings, at least in the short run.

    Besides, OPEC and its non-OPEC partners are set to officially sign a cooperation agreement in March of next year in Saudi Arabia and will seek to align OPEC with non-OPEC oil producers, most importantly Russia, on matters likely to include achieving market balance—specifically production quotas. The term market balance is the new phrase OPEC is using instead of referencing specific oil prices, after OPEC in October steered its members away from any words that may put it at odds with proposed U.S. legislation called the NOPEC Act.

    The question now is how the U.S. government will react. President Trump has repeatedly demanded low oil prices. OPEC would not be all that sensitive to Trump’s demands, but Saudi Arabia is under pressure after the international outrage over the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

    Soon after the meeting in Vienna it was reported that Saudi Arabia could reduce its daily crude oil shipments abroad by as much as 1 million barrels next month.  The move would be motivated by weaker demand due to seasonal patterns in consumption and Saudi Arabia’s commitment to the new production cut. In total, Riyadh will likely export an average 7.3 million bpd in January. This compares with less than 8 million bpd this month. Saudi Arabia will once again carry the greatest burden of the OPEC-wide cuts, cutting 500,000 bpd from its December production levels, which stand at an average 10.7 million bpd, the same as in October.

    World Bank warned that after several months of oil price rises and then a sharp reversal over the last few weeks, world oil markets are in for more heightened volatility next year because of scarce spare production capacity among OPEC members. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates OPEC’s spare capacity at a little over 1 million bpd as of the fourth quarter of this year. That’s down from 2.1 million bpd at the end of 2017, but with Venezuela’s production in free fall and with Iran pumping less because of the U.S. sanctions, the total spare capacity of the group has declined substantially.

    Iran hopes that the special purpose vehicle that would allow the European Union (EU) to continue buying Iranian oil amid the U.S. sanctions will become operational by the end of this year. The EU has been struggling to set up the vehicle for months, because no EU member was will-ing to host it for fear of angering the United States. However, last week, Germany and France were said to be joining forces to host the special vehicle to keep trade with Iran. In another energy-currency related development, the European Commission (EC) is calling for a wider use of the euro currency in energy-related transactions.

    China over the weekend reported an annualized 8.5 percent jump in November crude imports, to 10.43 million bpd, marking the first time China imported more than 10 million bpd. That leaves the world's second-biggest economy on track to set yet another annual import record. Strong demand is being driven by Chinese purchases for strategic reserves, but also by new refineries, triggering excess supply of fuels, filling up storage tanks and eroding refinery profits across Asia.

    Meantime, U.S. said new tariffs will be imposed unless U.S.-China trade talks wrap up successfully by March 1. Global markets are nervous about a collision between the world's two largest economic powers over China's huge trade surplus with the United States and U.S. claims that China is stealing intellectual property and technology. The arrest of a top executive at Chi-na's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd has roiled global markets amid fears that it could further ex-acerbate the China-U.S. trade conflict, although US officials insisted the trade talks with China would not be derailed by the arrest.

    U.S. drillers last week cut oil rigs by the most in over two years, after adding rigs in recent weeks. Energy companies cut 10 oil rigs in the week to Dec. 7, the biggest weekly decline since May 2016, bringing the total count down to 877. As per forecasts, drilling activity could fall 10 to 20 percent in the U.S. next year if oil prices stay low. Many analysts see $50 per barrel as a key threshold.

    A growing number of major corporations are announcing plans to curtail carbon emissions. Maersk, the world’s largest container shipping company, said that it would slash emissions to zero by 2050, which would require coming up with emissions-free engine technologies by 2030. To do so they have to find a different type of fuel (instead of fossil fuels) or a different way to power the vessels. Meantime, for the first time in five years, rich countries are on track to see their CO2 emissions rise this year (according to the IEA). Higher oil and gas consumption offset declining coal use. Rising emissions come even as scientists warn that the worst effects of climate change are coming faster than previously predicted.

    Market seems to be beginning to worry the supply cut announced by OPEC+ would not be enough to compensate projections for slowing demand growth as pressure increases on emerging economies. We expect bunker prices may demonstrate irregular fluctuations next week.



     

     

     

     

     

     

    All prices stated in USD / Mton
    All time high Brent = $147.50 (July 11, 2008)
    All time high Light crude (WTI) = $147.27 (July 11, 2008)




2024 March 28

18:05 Jan De Nul, ENGIE and Equans launch a pilot project centred around the use of Vanadium Redox Flow batteries
17:35 Latvian port equipment manufacturer Bleste introduces new bulk handling ‘bucket’
17:05 Investors upgrade Navios Maritime Partners
16:25 DEME reports 22% increase in the orderbook and a record-high turnover of 3.3 billion euros in 2023
16:14 MABUX: Bunker Outlook, Week 13, 2024
15:41 AD Ports Group announced the opening of Saadiyat Marina & Ferry Terminal and Rabdan Marina
15:11 Sydney invests $11.5 million in two new operational vessels designed by Incat Crowther
14:55 China’s Jinzhao wins Peru $405m port construction contract
14:13 APM Terminals Moín handled six million TEU
13:48 ClassNK grants Innovation Endorsements for Products & Solutions to two innovative initiatives by MOL
13:37 Konecranes launches its flagship Konecranes X-series industrial crane
12:53 United European Car Carriers UECC spearheads collaboration with industry leaders to advance CNSL as a sustainable marine fuel
12:26 Ocean Network Express announces Transpacific service
11:48 Yang Ming announces 2025 Trans-Pacific service network
11:24 Fincantieri signs contract for the supply of two PPAs to Indonesia
10:42 Maersk transported more than 660,000 TEU using clean fuel in 2023
10:23 Documentation delays push industry costs to $3bn
09:48 PONANT and FARWIND Energy partner to develop green hydrogen refueling solutions

2024 March 27

18:22 Bureau Veritas awards world’s first prototype certification for SolarDuck’s floating offshore solar solution
17:58 The recently converted Allseas's shallow water pipelay barge starts preparations for its first commercial project
17:38 The Port of Rotterdam calls on the European Commission and Parliament to focus on actively promoting green energy
15:23 SEFE to become sole shareholder of WIGA
14:53 Ocean Installer secures yet another SLM contract with Equinor
14:23 Cadeler signs offshore wind turbine installation contract for the vessel Wind Scylla
13:42 Carnival Cruise Line orders 5th Excel-class cruise ship
13:11 Maersk and MSC overcharging cargo owners for EU ETS, says T&E
12:52 The Port Authority of Valencia launches the ZAL project in the Port of Valencia
12:11 Clarkson Port Services and Peak Group collaborate to deliver Port Agency services across the North Sea
11:42 Wan Hai Lines holds ship naming ceremony for new vessels
11:24 Consolidated shipping lines EBIT loss was $1.44 billion in Q4 2023: Sea-Intelligence
10:49 Seaspan Shipyards receives long-term contracts for the pre-construction work of the the Canadian Coast Guard's first six multi-mission vessels
10:14 Woodside completes sale of 10% scarborough interest

2024 March 26

18:02 COSCO Shipping Lines introduces new Americas service
17:30 Davie awarded first contract for design of icebreaker fleet under Canada’s National Shipbuilding Strategy
17:04 Sanctions complicate Arctic LNG ship sales, Hanwha Ocean says - Bloomberg
16:57 Terntank places an order for 1+1 additional wind/ methanol-ready hybrid tanker
16:28 BW LNG completes acquisition of two TFDE vessels from Stena Bulk
15:50 Hanwha Ocean develops VR-based special vehicle simulator
15:20 TotalEnergies and SINOPEC join forces to produce sustainable jet fuel at a SINOPEC's refinery
14:52 Wärtsilä Lifecycle Agreement to guarantee operational reliability of new wind farm installation vessel
14:23 Hudong-Zhonghua launches two LNG carriers
13:51 Cargo ship hits Baltimore’s Key Bridge
13:12 Final sanctioned tanker with Russian Sokol oil to reach China port - Reuters
12:42 Adani Ports acquires 95% of Odisha's Gopalpur Port from SP Group for $162 million
12:21 IHI and Yara Clean Ammonia agree to jointly assess clean ammonia business collaboration
11:41 Yara Clean Ammonia and Azane granted safety permit to build world's first low emission ammonia bunkering terminal
11:16 Wartsila and Royal Caribbean Group celebrate 15 years of collaboration on digital transformation
10:46 A global carbon tax on shipping is coming, says ABS Chairman and CEO
10:21 Eni, Fincantieri and RINA establish partnership for maritime transport decarbonization

2024 March 25

18:07 The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore continues to investigate reports of oil spills off the port of Tuas
17:31 “K” Line, NIPPON HAKUYO and OPT Gate sign an agreement for a new fire detection system for car carriers
17:07 Greek merchant fleet recorded slight decline in January 2024
16:47 Hanwha Ocean Plans to develop green technology and naval ships
16:25 U-Ming Singapore and ITOCHU sign milestone MoU for the joint development of ammonia dual-fuel and de-carbonized vessels
15:34 Svitzer targets methanol-fuelled MAN 175DF-M engine for tug application
15:04 Wallenius Wilhelmsen signs contracts for four 9,300 CEU vessels with China Merchants Jinling Shipyard
14:40 Taiwan International Port to upgrade terminal facility at Kaohsiung
13:59 Сruise ship Carnival Freedom catches fire near Bahamas
12:59 Hanwha Ocean wins 2.4 tln-won order for 8 LNG ships
11:16 Inland Ports meet in Paris to talk about the innovation potential of inland ports
10:50 IMO agrees possible outline for maritime “net-zero framework”
10:24 Hapag-Lloyd to continue to avoid the Red Sea route
09:58 QatarEnergy enters time charter agreements with Nakilat for the operation of 25 LNG vessels

2024 March 24

16:18 Inchgreen Marine Park upgraded as part of £11m investment
15:14 A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Solent Rail Terminal Rail was held at the Port of Southampton
14:08 ESNA and Strategic Marine join forces to offer Surface Effect Ship (“SES”) Crew Transfer Vessels (“CTV”) to the market
13:07 First LNG powered vessel calls at HIP
12:49 Inter-array cable installation completed at Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm
11:32 Equinor ASA posts net income at USD 11.9 billion in 2023
09:25 Edda Wind announces the sale of Edda Passat