Empresa Nacional de Energía Eléctrica de Honduras is putting out to tender a supply of bunker fuel, diesel and lubricating oil for power generation in thermal power plants.
Honduras Government Purchase LPN-100-003-2018:
"Supply of diesel fuel and regular gasoline for ENEE vehicles and supply of bunker fuel, diesel and lubricating oil for electric power generation in ENEE's own thermal power plants.
In the first nine months of the year, 2.8 million barrels of marine fuel were sold, 38% more than was sold in the same period in 2016.
According to figures from the Panama Maritime Authority (AMP), the sale of marine fuel during the first three quarters of 2017 increased by 38% in year-on-year terms, rising from 2 million barrels between January and September 2016 to 2.8 million barrels in the same period in 2017.
In the first half of the year 2.4 million metric tons of marine fuel were shipped into the country's port terminals, 24% more than in the same period in 2016.
The start of operations of the expanded Canal is the main reason behind the increase of almost 24% in the sale of marine fuel to boats in Panamanian ports, according to representatives from the sector. Figures from the Panama Maritime Authority report that between January and June, 2.4 million metric tons of marine fuel were traded, 461 thousand tons more than in the first half of last year.
The Constitutional Chamber has rejected the appeal filed by deputies against the presidential decree that prevented a 72% increase in LP gas prices and 35% in bunker fuel.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Industry:
"The Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica has welcomed the rejection by the Constitutional Chamber of the case of unconstitutionality brought by the Deputy of the PUSC Luis Vásquez and other Deputies against the Sectoral Policy of the Executive Power regarding the prices of industrial fuels, corresponding to Executive Decree 39437 of the MINAE, signed in January of last year.This defeats once more the specter of an excessive and disproportionate increase in fuel prices which our industry uses to compete in the world and with the world.
In 2016 28.8 million barrels of fuel were sold to ships, which is 3.1 million barrels more than in the previous year.
Figures from the Panama Maritime Authority indicate that most of the bunker fuel was marketed in the Pacific, with 23.8 million barrels, while the remaining 4.9 million barrels were shipped across the Atlantic.
In 2016 total consumption increased by 4% compared to 2015, mainly explained by an 18% increase in consumption of 95 octane gasoline and 12% in bunker C.
Total consumption of gasoline, diesel, bunker C, liquefied petroleum gas and other fuels rose by 4% in 2016 compared to the previous year.In the case of gasoline, the highest increase was recorded in 95 octane, which increased by 18.5%, while consumption of regular gasoline or 91 octane fell by 3.6%.
Between January and August 2016, 2.5 million metric tons of marine fuel were sold, 7% more than in the same period in 2015.
The biggest sales growth was recorded in January, with a rise of 17%.Although the increase between 2015 and 2016 is lower than that recorded between 2014 and 2015,"...
On October 25 and 26 companies in the maritime industry will be gathering together in Panama City to discuss the impact of the enlargement of the Canal on the bunkering activity.
From a statement issued by the Maritime Chamber of Panama:
On 25 and 26 October 2016, the third edition of Panama Bunkering Forum will be held with the theme: EXPANSION AND NEOPANAMAX, New Challenges for Industry, in the Panama Wyndham Hotel, an event organized by the Maritime Chamber of Panama.The conference will last for two full days, and will include discussions of topics of interest and of direct impact to this auxiliary maritime industry which represents a significant contribution to the maritime conglomerate of Panama.This event will feature the presence and support of the Maritime Authority of Panama, the Panama Canal Authority and the Logistics Cabinet.
Industrialists in Costa Rica are opposed to the appeal lodged by deputies against the presidential decree that prevented the rise of 72% in the price of LP gas and 35% in bunker fuel.
From a statement issued by the Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica:
The Chamber of Industries of Costa Rica said that nullifying the presidential decree on Sector Policy, as several Deputies want to do, will affect employment.Last week, deputy Luis Alberto Vasquez Castro and other lawmakers presented an appeal to the Constitutional Court against the decree by President Luis Guillermo Solis of January, a decree that prevented the ARESEP from changing the methodology of fuel prices.This presidential decree, put an end to the disproportionate increase in the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), 72%, and bunker fuel, 35%, which are key materials for the industrial sector.
Construction has been announced of 9 additional storage tanks and a pier with two berths to supply 2.5 million barrels.
From a statement issued by the National Secretariat of Energy in Panama:
The sale of marine fuel or bunkering, an activity that generates about $900 million a year to the country's economy, will grow with the expanding operations of the Free Zone for Fuels, located in Bahía Las Minas, Colon Province.
In 2015 3.7 million metric tons of marine fuel were sold in Panama, 16.2% more than in 2014.
According to preliminary figures from the Maritime Authority of Panama, of the 3.7 million metric tons of marine fuel sold in 2015, 3.4 million were Fuel Oil and 252,521 Marine Diesel Oil. The number of ships catered for also increased, going from 4,699 in 2014 to 5,699 in 2015, reflecting an increase of 21.2%.
Concern over the serious impact on the productive sector of a 72% increase in gas prices has faded, while accusations of inefficiency and a monopolistic state oil company still persist.
Although the ARESEP is expecting to submit to a public hearing the new pricing methodology which would eliminate the subsidy from the cost of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), asphalt and bunker fuel, and increase the cost of a 25 pound cylinder from ¢ 6,410 to ¢8,470, the Government of the Republic has decreed a new sector policy for prices, in order to avoid the increases proposed by the regulator.
The rise in prices and fuel supply problems in markets like Colombia explain the 10% increase in sales of bunker fuel in the first half of the year.
After experiencing a slight decrease in the rate of business growth, companies engaged in the storage and sale of marine or bunker fuel say they feel there is an improvement in the activity. In previous years, vessels transiting the Canal were buying fuel in Colombia and other Caribbean countries.
As a hub of maritime services Singapore is winning the race against Panama, which in the past sold 60 million tons of bunker fuel but now only sells 20 million.
This represents a 40% decline in the 'bunkering' market in Panama, due to several factors, including lack of competitiveness in fuel prices not being oil producer.
The president of the Maritime Chamber of Panama, Juan Carlos Croston, told Panamaamerica.com.pa that "a few decades ago ... Panama was the world's leading supplier of bunker fuel, but today Singapore, thanks to the introduction of policies which promoted competitiveness, accounts for almost 40% of the market. "