Marine fuel sales at Fujairah, one of the Middle East’s key bunkering hubs, continued to slide in August, with volumes more than halving compared to the same month last year, according to Ship & Bunker.
Citing data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone and S&P Global Commodity Insights, Ship & Bunker reports that the port sold 225,767 m3 of marine fuel, excluding lubricants, in August. That figure represents a 2.6% decline from July and a steep 65.3% drop year-on-year. According to the report, ongoing disruption tied to the Iran war and its impact on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continues to weigh on demand at the port.
Ship & Bunker notes that sales had shown a modest recovery in July before dipping again in August, though volumes remained above the lows recorded in May and June.
Grade-by-Grade Breakdown
High sulphur fuel oil (HSFO) saw the steepest monthly decline among the grades tracked. Sales of 380 CST HSFO fell 17% month-on-month to 58,339 m3, and were down 69.1% from August 2025, as reported by Ship & Bunker. HSFO’s share of total August sales stood at 25.8%, compared to a 29% share a year earlier.
By contrast, 380 CST VLSFO — Fujairah’s most-sold grade — rose 4% from July to reach 149,202 m3 in August, though this remained 64.7% below the same month last year, according to the report.
LSMGO sales increased 11.4% month-on-month to 18,045 m3 but stayed 52.1% below year-ago levels, while MGO sales fell 33.9% from July to just 111 m3, Ship & Bunker states.
For the first eight months of the year, Fujairah sold a total of 2.12 million m3 of marine fuels, down from 4.96 million m3 in the same period last year — a 57.3% year-on-year decline, according to the report.
Price Movements
Despite falling volumes, prices at Fujairah rose. Ship & Bunker’s own price data shows the port’s average VLSFO price climbed to $807.5/mt in August, up from $762.5/mt in July and $498/mt in August 2025. For comparison, Ship & Bunker’s G20-VLSFO Index, which tracks average prices across 20 leading bunkering ports, stood at $810/mt in August, up from $760/mt in July and $534.5/mt a year earlier.
Does This Matter to You?
The sustained drop in Fujairah’s bunker volumes signals continued disruption to shipping flows through the Strait of Hormuz, a route central to Middle East bunkering and fuel logistics. Vessel operators and charterers routing through or near the region may find reduced fuel availability or shifting price dynamics at the port, as reflected in the year-on-year price increases reported by Ship & Bunker alongside falling sales volumes. Bunker traders and port planners tracking regional supply-demand balances may also find the persistent decline relevant to broader assessments of Middle East bunkering activity during the ongoing conflict.
Gulf Bunkering does not provide operational or security guidance. This article is for informational purposes only. Operators should consult flag state authorities, P&I clubs, and relevant advisories for decisions relating to transit planning.
Sources: Ship & Bunker (data via Fujairah Oil Industry Zone / S&P Global Commodity Insights)
