ENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook in International Shipping News 14/01/2026 Singapore and Malaysia In Singapore, VLSFO availability has tightened significantly, with most suppliers now quoting lead times of 7–11 days, up sharply from 2–7 days last week. LSMGO remains readily available, with lead times holding steady at 3–6 days. HSFO supply continues to be tight, typically requiring 7–12 days of advance notice, largely unchanged from last week’s 7–11 days. Singapore’s residual fuel oil stocks have averaged 2% lower so far this month compared to December, according to the latest data from Enterprise Singapore. Despite this, total fuel oil inventories have remained above 25 million bbls, supported by a 14% increase in net fuel oil imports so far in January. That said, both inflows and outflows have declined: imports are down by 814,000 bbls, while exports have fallen by a larger 1.24 million bbls. Middle distillate inventories at the port have also drawn down, slipping by 3% this month to 8.05 million bbls, touching multi-year lows. At Port Klang, VLSFO and LSMGO are generally well supplied, particularly for smaller prompt stems, while HSFO availability remains restricted and more difficult to secure. East Asia In Zhoushan, most suppliers are currently indicating lead times of about 5–7 days for all grades amid subdued demand, broadly unchanged from the 5–8 days quoted last week. Across northern China, fuel availability remains patchy. Dalian and Qingdao have adequate supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO, though HSFO continues to be tight in Qingdao. In Tianjin, all grades remain in short supply. In Shanghai, availability of VLSFO and HSFO is still limited, while LSMGO supply remains stable. Further south, both VLSFO and LSMGO are tight in Fuzhou. In Xiamen, VLSFO supply is sufficient, but LSMGO availability is restricted. Delivery options for both grades continue to be constrained in Yangpu and Guangzhou. In Hong Kong, bunker lead times are holding steady at around seven days for all grades, broadly in line with recent weeks. In Taiwan, lead times at Keelung, Kaohsiung and Hualien remain unchanged at two days, the same as last week, while suppliers in Taichung are advising slightly longer lead times of around three days. Bunker demand across South Korea has been subdued over the past week, largely due to adverse weather conditions. Several ports operated under weather-related restrictions between 10–12 January; while these have since been lifted, further bad weather is forecast in the days ahead. Most suppliers are currently advising lead times of around 6–10 days for all grades, though some are quoting longer lead times after having sold most of their January cargoes. This marks a clear shift from last week, when VLSFO and LSMGO were available with shorter lead times of 2–5 days, while HSFO was offered on an enquiry basis. Ongoing winter conditions continue to pose a risk of operational disruptions. Busan, Ulsan and Daesan may face weather-related interruptions between 13–18 January, while bunker operations at Yeosu could be impacted on 13 January and again during 15–18 January. In Japan, prompt VLSFO availability continues to be constrained at major ports such as Tokyo, Chiba, Yokohama and Kawasaki, where most suppliers are advising lead times of around 5–6 days. Tight supply conditions are also persisting at Osaka, Kobe, Sakai, Mizushima, Nagoya and Yokkaichi, and are expected to continue through the end of January. LSMGO s