Category: ARA stocks

Independently-held oil product stocks in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) area rose during the week to yesterday, after reaching 17-month lows the previous week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Gasoline inventories rose on the week, having fallen to five-year lows during the week to 18 August. Outflows from the ARA area to key export regions the US and west Africa fell on the week, with exports to the US coming under pressure from the end of the summer driving season. Production of fresh gasoline cargoes also came under pressure from relatively high prices of blending components. Gasoline cargoes also departed for Canada and France, and arrived from the Baltics, France, Italy, Sweden and Russia.

Naphtha stocks rose to reach their highest since March 2021. Demand from petrochemical end-users along the river Rhine was steady on the week, but demand from regional gasoline blenders appeared to ease. Tankers carrying naphtha arrived in the ARA area from Algeria, Germany, Russia, Spain and the US Gulf Coast.

ARA gasoil stocks ticked down on higher demand from end-users around northwest Europe, probably a result of continued economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. Inventories also came under pressure from the loading of a VLCC, the Hunter Disen, to carry a gasoil cargo from the ARA to the Mediterranean. Tankers also departed for France, Ireland and the UK, and arrived from India and Russia.

Fuel oil stocks fell, despite the arrival of cargoes from Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Russia and the UK. Fuel oil exports from key export port Rotterdam have risen in August. The figure is around twice what left the port in August 2020 and 2019, according to Vortexa data.

Jet fuel stocks fell back for the first time since May 2021, weighed down by the tail end of summer demand in northwest Europe. A cargo arrived from Kuwait and one departed for the UK.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

Independently held gasoline stocks in ARA fell to the lowest since 2016 in the week to yesterday, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Gasoline inventories have probably fallen partially as a result of high naphtha prices in recent weeks, which has discouraged gasoline blending activity. Naphtha inventories rose over the course of the week, which would correlate with a downward turn in demand from gasoline blenders. But gasoline exports have remained robust, with some booked to depart Europe over the first two weeks of August. While export booking interest has waned in recent days, this has yet to impact cargo loadings.

The upcoming seasonal specification change next month is also probably encouraging traders to ship out as much summer-grade material as possible as the peak summer driving season winds down — backwardation between August and September gasoline swaps remained as much as yesterday.

The fall in gasoline, combined with a larger fall in fuel oil stocks, prompted total products inventories to fall — the lowest total volume since March 2020. The fall was offset by a rise in middle distillate stocks, with both gasoil and jet inventories climbing on the week. The rise is probably a reflection of the ongoing sharp reduction in jet demand at present, which is seeing kerosine blended into the diesel supply pool and pushing up stocks of both products.

Reporter:Harry Riley-Gould

Independently-held inventories of gasoline in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell to their lowest since October 2016 over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Overall refined product stocks, essentially unchanged from the level recorded a week earlier. Stocks of gasoil and fuel oil rose, while naphtha, jet fuel and gasoline fell. Gasoline inventories fell for the fifth consecutive week to reach their lowest in almost five years. Outflows to the US rose on the week, owing to firm demand from consumers, and outflows to west Africa also rose over the same period. Tankers also departed for Canada, Germany, Ireland and the Mediterranean. Gasoline blending activity appeared to increase as the week progressed, as producers work to meet the demand from consumers in Europe and in export markets. Tankers carrying finished-grade gasoline or blending components arrived from Denmark, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the UK.

Naphtha inventories fell heavily on the week. Flows of naphtha up the river Rhine on barges slowed for the second consecutive week. Several regional end-users have suffered from technical issues in recent weeks, while high water levels have hampered the trade in Rhine barges. Naphtha demand from around the ARA area itself appeared robust. No naphtha tankers departed ARA, while tankers arrived from Russia and the US. Flows of naphtha into Europe from the US Gulf Coast reached their highest in at least four years in July, according to Vortexa data, and are likely to continue at elevated levels during August.

Gasoil stocks ticked up, having reached their lowest since 20 May a week earlier. The flow of barges up the river Rhine into Germany from the ARA area rose on the week, but from a very low base. Refineries inland are producing ample middle distillate cargoes in their efforts to take advantage of high gasoline refining margins, reducing the need for fresh cargoes. Tankers arrived from Russia and the US, and departed for France, Ireland and the UK.

Jet fuel stocks fell on the week, weighed down by rising consumption at northwest European airports. A single cargo arrived in the ARA area from Kuwait.

Fuel oil inventories rose to reach five-week highs. Tankers arrived from Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Spain and the UK, and departed for the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the US and west Africa.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

Independently-held inventories of gasoline in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell to their lowest since October 2016 over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Overall refined product stocks essentially unchanged from the level recorded a week earlier. Stocks of gasoil and fuel oil rose, while naphtha, jet fuel and gasoline fell. Gasoline inventories fell for the fifth consecutive week to reach their lowest in almost five years. Outflows to the US rose on the week, owing to firm demand from consumers, and outflows to west Africa also rose over the same period. Tankers also departed for Canada, Germany, Ireland and the Mediterranean.

Gasoline blending activity appeared to increase as the week progressed, as producers work to meet the demand from consumers in Europe and in export markets. Tankers carrying finished-grade gasoline or blending components arrived from Denmark, Italy, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the UK.

Naphtha inventories fell heavily, during the week. Flows of naphtha up the river Rhine on barges slowed for the second consecutive week. Several regional end-users have suffered from technical issues in recent weeks, while high water levels have hampered the trade in Rhine barges. Naphtha demand from around the ARA area itself appeared robust.

No naphtha tankers departed ARA, while tankers arrived from Russia and the US. Flows of naphtha into Europe from the US Gulf Coast reached their highest in at least four years in July, according to Vortexa data, and are likely to continue at elevated levels during August.

Gasoil stocks ticked up, having reached their lowest since 20 May a week earlier. The flow of barges up the river Rhine into Germany from the ARA area rose on the week, but from a very low base. Refineries inland are producing ample middle distillate cargoes in their efforts to take advantage of high gasoline refining margins, reducing the need for fresh cargoes. Tankers arrived from Russia and the US, and departed for France, Ireland and the UK.

Jet fuel stocks fell, weighed down by rising consumption at northwest European airports. A single cargo arrived in the ARA area from Kuwait.

Fuel oil inventories rose to reach five-week highs. Tankers arrived from Denmark, Estonia, Russia, Spain and the UK, and departed for the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the US and west Africa

Reporter: Thomas Warner

Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub rose over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Total stocks were recorded yesterday, up, by after reaching their lowest since April 2020 a week earlier. Overall inventories had fallen for the previous four consecutive weeks, but the downward trend abated during the week to 28 July owing to a sharp rise in naphtha stocks.

Naphtha inventories rose on the week. Flows of naphtha up the river Rhine on barges have slowed, with several regional end-users having technical issues.

And naphtha has been unable to leave the ARA area through the pipeline that connects Antwerp with Sabic’s petrochemical site at Geleen in the Netherlands. The pipeline has been taken out of service, after heavy rains and flooding in the past week washed away the banks of the River Muese and exposed the pipeline to the water. No naphtha tankers departed ARA, while tankers arrived from Algeria, Russia and the UK.

Gasoline inventories fell heavily, reaching fresh 19-month lows owing to firm demand. Outflows to the US, where demand for European cargoes is robust, were broadly steady on the week. Tankers also departed for the Mideast Gulf, Canada, Germany, Puerto Rico and west Africa. Cargoes of finished grade gasoline and components arrived from the Baltics, Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden and the UK.

Gasoil stocks fell to their lowest since the week to 20 May, weighed down by outflows to France, the Mediterranean, the UK and west Africa. The trade in gasoil barges around the ARA area appeared to pick up slightly after a period of very low liquidity, supported by the usual increase in activity during the final trading days of the calendar month. High water on the river Rhine continued to limit the trade in Rhine barges.

Fuel oil inventories rose, having reached 14-month lows the previous week. Tankers arrived from the Caribbean, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Russia, and departed the Mediterranean and west Africa. Jet fuel stocks rose, supported by the arrival of a cargo from South Korea. Consumption in northwest Europe continued to rise, and cargoes departed the region for the UK.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell over the past week to reach their lowest since April 2020, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Total stocks were recorded down on the week, with inventories of all surveyed products except naphtha lower on the week. Total inventory levels are lower than the same week in 2019 and lower than the same week in 2020. The fall in stocks is the result of resurgent demand for transport fuels from within Europe and firm demand from export regions.

The disruption to barge traffic on the river Rhine may have helped influence sellers in the ARA area to sell their cargoes further afield, using seagoing tankers.

The heaviest week on week fall was recorded on gasoil, which fell to two-month lows. Tanker outflows rose on the week, with vessels leaving for the Caribbean, Denmark, Ireland, the UK and the US. Tankers arrived from Germany and Russia, and traffic between the ARA area and destinations along the Rhine was virtually nil.

Fuel oil inventories also fell heavily. Outflows were notably high, with tankers departing for the UK, the US and west Africa. Cargoes arrived in the ARA area from France, Russia and the UK.

Naphtha stocks rose on the week, bucking the wider trend. Tankers arrived in the ARA area from Algeria, Norway and the US. But with petrochemical sites along the river Rhine all but cut off from the ARA area owing to extensive flooding, there was nowhere for the incoming cargoes to go except storage. ARA inventories may also have been supported by the shutdown of a pipeline that supplies naphtha from Antwerp to Sabic’s Geleen petrochemical site.

Gasoline stocks fell to their lowest since December 2019, weighed down by firm demand locally and from export markets. Tankers departed for Canada, France, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US, west Africa and the Suez canal area. Jet stocks fell after reaching their highest since November 2020 a week earlier. Tankers arrived in the ARA from the UAE and the North Sea, where at least one tanker had been serving as floating jet storage. Demand from northwest European airports appeared higher on the week.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Total stocks were recorded yesterday, down on the week to reach their lowest since 20 May. The week on week drop was largely the result of a fall in gasoline stocks, which dropped to their lowest since December 2019. Demand from export regions is robust, while European refiners are unable to increase runs to produce more gasoline without further increasing the European middle distillate surplus. Tankers departed the ARA area for Brazil, Canada, the Mediterranean, Mexico, the US and west Africa. Outflows to key export market the US slowed on the week, but exports to west Africa were steady at a high level. Cargoes arrived from Norway, the UK, the Mediterranean and the Baltics.

Naphtha stocks also fell, dropping to reach their lowest since August 2019. Rising water levels on the river Rhine added to the incentive for petrochemical end-users to bring naphtha out of storage and into storage tanks inland. Sites further upriver than Karlsruhe are currently out of reach, with barges unable to travel through the area either without causing damage to bridges or areas adjacent to the riverbanks. Even Cologne may be cut off before the water levels recede back to more normal levels, which is likely to be at some point during the coming week. Naphtha tankers departed for the UK and arrived from Algeria, Russia and the US.

Gasoil stocks rose. Flows up the Rhine rose on the week, again motivated by the potential for destinations inland to be cut off in the coming days. High inventories inland make any interruption in supply to consumers unlikely. Tankers departed for France, Sweden, the UK and west Africa. Tankers arrived from India, Russia and Qatar.

Fuel oil inventories fell to their lowest since January, despite the eastbound arbitrage to Singapore route being closed. Tankers did depart for the Mediterranean and west Africa, and arrived from Estonia, France, Germany, Poland and Russia. Jet stocks reached their highest since November, buoyed by the arrival of several cargoes from the UAE. Cargoes departed for the UK.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

July 8 – Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Total stocks were recorded down on the week to reach their lowest since the week to 20 May. The week on week drop came from stock draws for all products except jet fuel, which rose, supported by the arrival of several tankers from the UAE. The rise was partially offset by the departure of tankers for the UK, and the tanker SKS Mosel also departed Rotterdam for the North Sea where it is awaiting orders.

Stocks of all other surveyed products fell. Fuel oil inventories fell most heavily, weighed down by the departure of a Suezmax for west Africa as well as the departure of smaller tankers for the Mediterranean. Healthy demand for bunker fuel also weighed on stocks. Tankers arrived in the ARA area from Denmark, the US, Germany, Poland, the UK and Russia.

Gasoline inventories fell, amid a slowdown in blending activity. Gasoline production had kept the spot trade in barges active during the preceding weeks, but a fall in demand from the key US export market reduced the need to move gasoline blending components around the ARA area. An Aframax tanker departed for west Africa, and smaller cargoes departed for the Caribbean, Latin America, the Mediterranean and the US.

Gasoil stocks dropped, with weak demand along the Rhine supporting exports to other regions. Gasoil left ARA storage for France, Germany, Sweden and the UK, and arrived from India and Saudi Arabia. Rising water levels on the Rhine may curtail middle distillate barge movements from the ARA area into Switzerland in the coming week, but with inventories inland high, supply is likely to remain ample.

Naphtha stocks fell, with demand robust from gasoline blenders and petrochemical end-users. Buying interest in naphtha is being supported by relatively high prices of rival petrochemical feedstocks. Tankers arrived in the ARA area from Russia, the US and Spain while none departed.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

July 1 — Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub fell over the past week, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Total stocks were recorded on 30 June, down from a two-month high the previous week but still comfortably below the year-to-date.

The week-on-week drop came from stock draws for all products except gasoline, which rose. An increase in gasoline blending demand, as traders look to take advantage of firmer margins, has likely translated into an accumulation of product in storage tanks.

Gasoline arrived into ARA storage from France, Portugal, Russia, the UK and the Mediterranean over the past week, while supplies departed ARA for Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico, the US and west Africa.

Firming gasoline demand coincides with a draw in ARA naphtha inventories, which fell during the week to 30 June. Most naphtha demand appeared to be coming from the gasoline blending pool, as demand from the petrochemical sector is being dampened by maintenance at inland plants. Naphtha was delivered into ARA storage from France, Russia and the US over the past week, while no outflows were recorded.

Gasoil stocks dropped , with weak demand along the Rhine prompting exports to other regions. Gasoil left ARA storage for France, Norway and the UK over the last week, as well as further afield destinations including Canada and west Africa. Diesel demand in Europe is gradually recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, but the market remains under pressure from rising supply as refineries return from maintenance and other downtime.

Jet fuel inventories in ARA decreased on the week, as some supplies were deposited into tanks from the UAE, and supply departed the region for the UK. The prospect of firmer international travel suffered a fresh blow this week as a handful of European countries looked to tighten restrictions on arrivals from the UK over concerns about the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19.

ARA fuel oil inventories fell, driven by the export of one cargo to Singapore. The Suezmax tanker Orpheas loaded sulphur fuel oil in Denmark on 21 June before topping up in Rotterdam on 27 June for an onward voyage to Singapore — the world’s largest bunkering hub — according to Vortexa. Fixture lists indicate that Shell booked the vessel. Fuel oil also departed ARA storage for the Mediterranean and the US over the past week, while inflows were recorded from France, Germany, Russia and the UK.

Reporter: Thomas Warner

June 24, 2021 – Independently-held inventories of oil products in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) trading and storage hub have risen over the past week to reach their highest level since mid-April, according to the latest data from consultancy Insights Global.

Inventories of all surveyed products went up except for gasoline stocks which dropped on the week to reach their lowest level since December 2019, weighed down by strong arbitrage export flows during June so far.

Gasoline cargoes have departed the ARA area for Canada, France, Mexico, the UK and the US in the past week, while finished-grade gasoline and components have arrived from Italy, Spain and Sweden.

A flurry of export bookings has emerged in recent days, with Valero, Equinor, Irving and Shell all booking gasoline cargoes for transatlantic delivery, while African trading firms O&O and Bono Energy have booked tankers to take gasoline from ARA to west Africa.

Stocks of all other products have risen in the last week, with jet fuel inventories going up the most, supported by the arrival from India and Kuwait. Tankers carrying jet departed the ARA region for the UK.

Gasoil stocks rose over the last week to reach their highest level since early March, boosted by the arrival of cargoes from the US, Saudi Arabia, Russia and Norway. A gasoil cargo arrived from Norway’s Mongstad refinery, while a diesel cargo departed the ARA area for the country’s Slagen import terminal. Gasoil cargoes also departed for Germany and the UK. The barge market for middle distillates around the ARA area remained largely moribund, and flows of middle distillates up the river Rhine were steady on the week.

Fuel oil stocks increased, with cargoes arriving from Germany, Russia, Sweden and the UK over the last week. Germany also received a fuel oil cargo through the Brunsbuttel terminal, which is connected to Heide refinery. The refinery recently returned from scheduled maintenance and the fuel oil cargo may be used to feed secondary units. Tankers carrying fuel oil departed the ARA area for Singapore and west Africa.

Naphtha inventories rose, despite the departure of a small cargo for Estonia. Tankers carrying naphtha arrived in ARA from Algeria, France, Russia and the UK.

Reporter: Thomas Warner