Fuel-supply logistics for vessels in southern Europe and Africa are going through a period of operational tightness. Restrictions on the barge fleet and bottlenecks in the Strait of Gibraltar are extending delivery times at the main facilities in the mid-Atlantic, affecting the planning of commercial and passenger shipping along the route connecting the Canary Islands with West Africa and the European continent. This information was produced independently by the Canarymaritime editorial team under exclusively editorial criteria, citing market intelligence firm Engine as its primary source, with no commercial consideration or ties to the entities mentioned.
According to market data provided by Intercop in Las Palmas, availability for immediate deliveries at the Port of Las Palmas is restricted. Operators recommend that shipowners schedule requests 10 to 12 days in advance to secure product and avoid additional premiums over the market price.
This situation at the Gran Canaria hub coincides with a context of critical congestion in the Strait of Gibraltar. Facilities in Gibraltar are recording significant waiting times—with more than 20 vessels at anchor—due to a lack of berth space and a shortage of bunkering barges. At the nearby port of Algeciras, operations are facing delays of between 6 and 24 hours, while in Barcelona and Malta the notice period required to obtain competitive rates stands at one week.
Logistical asymmetry at West African facilities
South of the archipelago, the supply outlook in West Africa is showing varied conditions depending on the port. The port of Dakar, Senegal, is operating normally, with readily available VLSFO (very low-sulfur fuel oil) and LSMGO (low-sulfur marine gas oil). Luanda, Angola, is similarly stable, with marine gas oil supplies requiring only three to four days’ notice.
By contrast, pressure on immediate inventories is increasing at other hubs in the Gulf of Guinea and the South Atlantic. In Lomé, Togo, and at the Lagos marina in Nigeria, intermediaries require five to seven days’ notice to guarantee supplies of VLSFO and LSMGO. Identical planning requirements are affecting operations in Walvis Bay, Namibia.
Supply-chain pressure is worsening in the far south and the Indian Ocean: the South African port of Durban is reporting shortages across the three main fuel categories, while in Port Louis, Mauritius, delivery times have surged to 14 days.
Contraction in imports in Northern Europe
The situation at southern latitudes contrasts with the dynamics at the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) hub. Although immediate availability at North Sea facilities remains tight—with delivery times of 5 to 7 days—demand began to recover in September.
Independent fuel oil inventories in the ARA have risen 15% above August averages, despite daily import volumes falling to 276,000 barrels per day, mostly from Mexico (51%), Poland (23%) and Finland (13%). Meanwhile, diesel reserves at the European logistics hub remain at a four-year historic low, sustaining the need for continuous monitoring of middle-distillate replenishment across the Atlantic bunkering network.
The article Delays put pressure on the bunkering market in the Canary Islands and West Africa was first published on canarymaritime.com.
