Sales of marine fuel at the United Arab Emirates' Fujairah, a key hub where ships refuel in the Middle East, fell about three per cent from a year ago to 7.4 million cubic metres (about 7.33 million tons) in 2025, showed latest data from the Fujairah Oil Industry Zone published by SP Global Energy.
This makes Fujairah the world's fourth-largest bunker hub for ships instead of the third, with China's Zhoushan port overtaking it in 2025 as total sales surpassed eight million tons, according to the Zhoushan bunker port website.
The softer Fujairah volumes were driven by some demand diversion to neighbouring Middle Eastern port Khor Fakkan, which had marine fuel offered at lower prices than Fujairah on several occasions, market sources told Reuters.
Geopolitical tensions in the Middle East also pressured demand to some extent, some sources said, as shipowners were cautious about navigating the region during periods of heightened uncertainties.
In contrast, other refuelling hubs posted stronger volumes last year. Singapore's bunker volumes scaled fresh highs in 2025.
Despite a drop in total volumes, sales of high-sulphur fuel oils rose for at least a fourth straight year, based on available FOIZ data since 2021.
High-sulphur volumes rose four per cent from 2024 to 2.22 million cubic metres in 2025, reflecting a similar trend as with Singapore hub, as demand from scrubber-fitted ships stayed robust. These ships can opt to refuel with HSFO as a cheaper alternative.
Meanwhile, sales of low-sulphur marine fuel dipped six per cent year-on-year to 5.2 million cubic metres in 2025, taking into account both low-sulphur fuel oils and marine gasoils.
This brings the market share of high-sulphur bunkers in Fujairah to 30 per cent in 2025, up from 28 per cent in 2024, while low-sulphur bunkers dropped to 70 per cent, compared with 72 per cent a year ago.
(Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Rashmi Aich)
