St Petersburg cruise season ends

OREANDA-NEWS. October 12, 2016.  The navigation season for passenger vessels that started at St Petersburg on 5 May will ends today. Vessel calls at the passenger port dropped by 21 to 209 this year. But in 2017 vessel calls are expected to rebound to around 250 on anticipated increase in Baltic cruises demand.

The total bunker fuel sales to passenger vessel at the port of St Petersburg in 2016 is estimated at around 200,000-220,000t, 100,000t of which were purchased in the spot market.

Carnival Cruise Lines, the largest fuel buyer among cruise companies, bought around 80,000-90,000t of marine fuel, 60pc of which was MGO. Carnival purchased around 60,000-65,000t of fuel under term contract with Baltic Fuel, which was valid from July until mid-September. It was the first Baltic Fuel's term contract with Carnival. Last year the shipowner was buying the fuel in the spot market. During the previous season the company was collaborating with other large suppliers like Gazproneft Marine Bunker and Lukoil-Bunker. MGO was reported to be supplied from Bashneft's refineries but the company was unable to comment on that.

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) bought around 4,500t of high-sulphur 380cst and 20,000t of MGO from World Fuel Services. Baltic Fuel is providing this volume as a physical supplier in St Petersburg, traders reported. Baltic Fuel also supplied about 10,000t of marine fuels under a term contract with Finnish company Viking Line.

Royal Caribbean signed a contract with Gazpromneft Marine Bunker and the supplier delivered 45,000-50,000t of marine fuels.

MSC Cruises, a branch of Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) contracted Lukoil Bunker for the supply of about 20,000t of ECA-compliant fuel. Lukoil Bunker also concluded a fuel supply contract for 20,000-25,000t of ECA-compliance fuel with Silversea Cruises from Monaco.