Typhoon Champi Forces Suspension of Bunkering at Zhoushan's Outer Anchorages
Cubierto por 3 fuentesPublicado
- Hellenics Shipping newsTyphoon Champi causes halt in bunker operations at Zhoushan’s outer anchorages
- Manifold TimesENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook (20 Oct 2026)
- Hellenics Shipping newsENGINE: East of Suez Bunker Fuel Availability Outlook
- lloyds listAsian bunker supplies tighten with reduced Northeast Asian availability
Bunkering operations at the Tiaozhoumen and Xiazhimen outer anchorages at the Chinese port of Zhoushan were suspended on October 20 due to severe weather caused by Typhoon Champi, which strengthened into a super typhoon, according to market sources.
Typhoon track
According to the Hong Kong Observatory, Champi had maximum sustained winds of 230 km/h near its center and was expected to cross eastern Luzon that Tuesday and the following Wednesday, moving west-northwest at 21 km/h, according to Taiwan's Central Weather Administration. Both agencies expected the system to pass about 360 km east of Taiwan on Friday, enter the East China Sea on Saturday, and then turn northeast to pass east of Zhoushan on Sunday, with winds weakening to around 90 km/h.
Meanwhile, bunkering operations continued at the more sheltered Xiushandong anchorage and at the Mazhi inner anchorage. Sources consulted anticipated that the disruption would affect bunkering at Zhoushan over the following days, depending on how the typhoon evolved.
Tight supply in Asia
The disruption occurred amid an already tight supply situation in Zhoushan, where suppliers were recommending lead times of around 11 days for VLSFO, LSMGO and HSFO despite low demand. The situation contrasted with other Chinese ports: in Qingdao, Tianjin and Xiamen, recommended lead times were 4 to 5 days, as was the case in Nansha for VLSFO and LSMGO, while in Shanghai and Ningbo suppliers were also recommending 11 days for all fuel grades.
Regional context
An analysis by Lloyd's List noted that Asian bunker markets remained tight beyond the Champi episode, amid the Hormuz crisis restricting fuel flows from the Persian Gulf. The report added that Russia had turned to China due to its own fuel shortages, further limiting availability in Asian markets and keeping prices elevated, with the possibility of further increases heading into next year.
