More fuel in storage did not mean an easier prompt bunker booking in ARA this week. Rotterdam's fuel grades also moved in different directions, while a compliance-adjusted comparison brought B100 almost level with VLSFO.
Further along the supply chain, a Dutch biomethanol proposal took another development step, and a Norwegian ammonia project secured approval for a bunkering test. Both matter, but neither should be confused with additional fuel available for an ordinary stem today.
Here are eight developments from the week of 5 to 9 October, and what they mean for marine fuel buyers and suppliers. Market observations reflect the source dates below, not firm offers.
1. ARA stocks rose, but prompt deliveries remained tight
ENGINE reported on Friday that independently held ARA fuel oil stocks averaged 5.78 million barrels in October so far, 6% above September's monthly average. Gasoil inventories were also 6% higher. Yet the same report still advised allowing five to seven days for bunker deliveries, based on trader feedback.
The comparison is October-to-date against September, not a completed month or a week-on-week change. More importantly, inventory and delivery availability answer different questions. A buyer needs the right grade, supplier and delivery slot, not simply reassurance that the region has more product in tanks.
For prompt enquiries, confirm the actual delivery window before treating a lower price as a usable alternative.
2. Rotterdam's grades stopped moving together
By 09:00 GMT on Thursday, ENGINE assessed Rotterdam VLSFO up $15/mt and LSMGO up $21/mt on the day. HSFO moved the other way, down $6/mt, while B30-VLSFO fell $21/mt. The difference between VLSFO and HSFO, known as the Hi5 spread, widened to $70/mt.
ENGINE linked the HSFO decline to a lower-priced stem. That is a useful reminder that a port assessment reflects activity in a particular market, not just the direction of crude oil.
A bunker price comparison needs a timestamp and the right grade beside it. Buyers comparing a conventional grade with a biofuel blend also need the blend specification, delivery terms and compliance basis. One headline about rising bunker prices would have missed Thursday's divergence.
3. B100 reached near-parity with VLSFO on one modelled basis
In its early-week Fuel Switch Snapshot, ENGINE calculated Rotterdam B100 at a $1/mt discount to VLSFO, compared with a $40/mt premium a week earlier.
That is not a claim that a tonne of B100 could be bought more cheaply than a tonne of VLSFO. ENGINE adjusted fuels for energy content and included estimated EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime costs and pooling value for an EU-to-EU voyage. Change those assumptions and the comparison can change too.
The useful buying question is whether the apparent saving survives the vessel's actual voyage, certified fuel pathway, energy content, delivery price and achievable pooling value. A $1/mt modelled advantage leaves very little room for a mismatch between the calculation and the transaction.
4. The Rotterdam LNG bunker premium rose
ENGINE's early-week LNG snapshot put the ARA benchmark at $1,432/mt, up $12/mt over the preceding week. Rotterdam's bunker premium over the TTF gas benchmark increased from $129/mt to $136/mt. Singapore's LNG assessment was almost unchanged, narrowing its premium over ARA to $134/mt.
This is a different comparison from the energy- and compliance-adjusted fuel ranking above. It describes LNG bunker pricing and its relationship to the gas market, not which fuel is cheapest for a particular vessel.
For LNG buyers, the gas index is only one part of the quote. The bunker premium, delivery arrangements and quote validity still need checking. A cheaper gas benchmark does not automatically produce a cheaper delivered stem.
5. Peninsula put biofuel operating experience in focus
In an article published on Wednesday, Peninsula said it had completed more than 450 biofuel deliveries worldwide for over 100 customers. These are the supplier's reported figures, not an independently audited measure of the whole market or evidence of prompt availability in Rotterdam.
Its practical message was that access to fuel does not remove vessel-specific preparation. Suitability, equipment requirements, tank preparation, water management and machinery monitoring remain part of a biofuel programme.
That is the operational counterpart to the B100 price comparison. Before accepting a blend offer, bring the vessel's technical team into the decision and agree the product specification, supporting sustainability records and handling requirements. A favourable compliance calculation is not a substitute for a fuel the vessel can use as intended.
6. Dutch biomethanol plans gained a potential hydrogen partner
Lhyfe and Perpetual Next announced a memorandum of understanding to explore renewable hydrogen supply for the planned DeltaNor biomethanol facility in Delfzijl. The proposed plant is designed for 220,000 tonnes of biomethanol a year. The companies will assess a potential supply of up to around 12,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually.
In separate reporting, ENGINE said Perpetual Next was targeting a final investment decision by the end of 2027, dependent on factors including permits, with shipping an intended market.
This is a development agreement, not an operating plant or a committed bunker allocation. Buyers planning future methanol use should track the investment decision, production schedule, fuel certification and delivery logistics separately. Proposed capacity becomes commercially useful only when it can be connected to a credible supply commitment.
7. TFG extended its metered-delivery rollout
ENGINE reported that TFG Marine fitted a mass flow meter system to Storholmen, its third such bunker vessel in the US Gulf Coast region. The report says the installation is certified to ISO 22192.
The individual vessel matters more to a buyer than a fleet-wide adoption headline. When comparing offers, establish which delivery vessel will perform the stem and what measurement records will accompany it.
Metered quantity is also a separate question from fuel quality or sustainability. A stronger marine fuel procurement process keeps the quantity measurement, agreed specification, samples and supporting documents linked to the same delivery, without treating one form of assurance as proof of everything else.
8. Viking Energy secured approval for an ammonia bunkering test
The Apollo project announced that Azane Fuel Solutions had received Norwegian approval for a test delivery of up to 73 tonnes of ammonia to Viking Energy. The operation is planned for October or November at Stord, using up to three tank trailers to test bunkering arrangements and onboard safety systems.
This is a concrete commissioning milestone, but the transfer was still planned when the project published its update. It is not evidence that a routine ammonia bunkering service is available to other vessels.
For future-fuel procurement, keep those stages distinct: approval, a completed transfer, operational experience and repeatable commercial supply. A successful project needs all of them, but they do not arrive at the same time.
The Bulugo view
This week's most useful distinction is between an attractive comparison and an executable purchase.
ARA can hold more stock while prompt deliveries remain tight. A fuel can look cheaper after compliance adjustments without having a lower invoice price. A planned plant or approved trial can move the industry forward without adding supply a buyer can nominate today.
For the next bunker enquiry, put price, grade, delivery window and counterparty together first. Then add the evidence needed for that particular fuel: energy and compliance assumptions, vessel compatibility, measurement method and supporting documents. That gives buyers something they can act on, and suppliers a clear way to show what their offer actually includes.
Sources
- ENGINE: ARA fuel oil stocks climb 6% as October kicks off, 9 October 2026.
- ENGINE: Europe & Africa Market Update 8 Oct, 8 October 2026.
- ENGINE: Fuel Switch Snapshot, B100 premiums narrow in Rotterdam and Singapore, page dated 5 October 2026.
- ENGINE: LNG Bunker Snapshot, Rotterdam premium rises as Singapore holds steady, page dated 5 October 2026.
- Peninsula: Biofuels have gone mainstream, 7 October 2026.
- Lhyfe: Perpetual Next and Lhyfe to explore renewable hydrogen supply for biomethanol facility in Delfzijl, 5 October 2026; ENGINE: Dutch bio-methanol plant targeting bunker market eyes 2027 investment decision, 8 October 2026.
- ENGINE: TFG Marine fits mass flow meters on over 90% of global bunker fleet, 8 October 2026.
- Apollo: Viking Energy conversion moves closer to first ammonia bunkering test, 7 October 2026.