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Of the main possible bunkering spots in the Mediterranean, Istanbul port is undoubtedly the best situated. Roughly 50,000 vessels pass the Turkish Straits every year, and approximately one-third of them lift bunkers at roads. The procedure of passing the Straits itself indirectly encourages the local bunker market to grow.

As a rule, ships have to wait at roads for their passage turn for quite a time, that allows shipowners to make use of it, lifting bunkers and other supplies. Regrettably, local bunkering is allowed only from the Marmara Seaside , otherwise, bunker companies would have had an opportunity to supply vessels waiting for their passage turn at the northbound side as well. In our opinion, that chance would have enhanced the volume of bunkering significantly.

Economical crisis has seriously affected the shipping sector as every other commercial sphere. The slow-but-sure slackening demand for sea transportation in the Black Sea Mediterranean area has already taken place, freight rates dropped to the extent that prevents shipowners from fixing the vessels for further unprofitable voyages and rather leave them laid-up.

Despite the fact that fuel prices have dropped, cutting the number of stemmed vessels does not allow the local market sales level to stay at the same level. Local bunker companies endeavour not only to keep up the demand, but also to enhance market shares compared to other ports.

At the moment there is no bunker company in the Black Sea region strong enough to compete with Istanbul capacity in the variety of offered IFO grades and MGO with sulphur content range from 0.1% up to 1%. Turkish bunker companies provide their customers 100% guarantee of supply of required quality as well as necessary volume. The vast majority of Russian ports’ suppliers are unable to offer IFO or MGO with maximum 0.1% sulphur content.

Their local custom restrictions often do not allow the provision of fuel deliveries to vessels unless being alongside, that impedes, local sales volume the growth of. In winter bunkering is heavily impeded by the ice situation in Black Sea and Azov ports, as well as at Kerch Straits and Ust-Dunaysk.

Due to territorial development of SECA zone, there is growing demand for MGO with max sulphur content 0.1%. Recently the difference between MGO with sulphur max 0.1% and 0.2% has shrunk, therefore most middle-size tonnage vessels working between Black Sea and European ports prefer to order bunkers with lower-sulphur content.

Traditionally, the most serious competitive ports are considered to be Pireaus and Malta due to usually lower prices in comparison with Istanbul. However, local suppliers can definitely be proud of the high quality of the product, constant availability and excellent level of operation

Oiltrade Marine Ltd
Olga Kovaleva
Bunker Sales Manager
Tel: + 90 212 352 24 40
Fax: +90 212 352 24 50
E-mail: bunker@oiltrade.net