Port Authority warns of bunker-fuel shortage as winter demand peaks

The Port Authority of Nueva Singapur released an operational advisory Friday afternoon warning that bunker-fuel stocks at the deep-water berth are tracking 8 percent below the five-year seasonal average for early November. The shortfall reflects a combination of refinery maintenance across three major suppliers and a surge in container throughput from the Tierra Verde agricultural export season, which has pulled forward demand by two weeks.

Port Authority spokesperson Carmen Reyes said the berth remains fully operational but that vessel scheduling will require coordination with shipping lines to avoid queuing. The advisory does not trigger rationing but asks operators to file fuel orders with forty-eight-hour notice rather than the customary twenty-four hours.

The squeeze arrives as the Federal Treasury's overnight settlement volumes have climbed 12 percent month-over-month, signalling increased cross-regional trade. Shipping lines operating the Meridian corridor report that Costa Mar's marine-protection ordinances have narrowed the viable departure windows, compressing schedules and raising fuel consumption per voyage.