LSFO bunker fuel prices in Hamburg up on tight supplies, refinery shutdown: sources

Low sulfur bunker fuel oil prices have increased on a shortage of fuel spec availabilities after the closure of Shell's Harburg refinery, sources said.
Due to the closure of Shell's refinery and tight LSFO supplies from other sources, 380 CST LSFO rose to $635.50/mt Thursday, compared with $600.50/mt assessed by Platts on May 2, Platts data shows.
One CDU and the FCC at Shell's 110,000 b/d Harburg refinery near Hamburg were shut indefinitely in either March and April. According to traders, Shell Hamburg had supplied 25,000-30,000 mt/month of LSFO. One bunker supplier in Hamburg said Shell had stopped offering LSFO as it had planned to close the tank farms. Shell could not comment on this matter.
Despite bunker players' lack of concerns of a shortage of LSFO for spot basis due to the closure of Shell's refinery, tight prompt LSFO availabilities were reported Thursday.
One supplier said Shell is not producing LSFO and product is only offered on the contract basis from other resources. "Refineries do not produce more than they have under contract," another bunker supplier said.
"We do our best to get the product, but resupply dates are still unknown," another source added.
Another bunker supplier said that "[it] gets LSFO on contracted volumes for this month...but supplies may be get tight at the end of this month."
Source: Platts