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The port of Singapore recorded a 0.7 percent increase in sales during the month of July, according to data released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Total sales at the world's leading bunker port rose by 28,600 tonnes to 4,115,000 tonnes last month, up from 4,086,400 tonnes in June. It is the best July figure in the port's history.

It is also the first time that sales above 4 million tonnes have been sold in five consecutive months. In fact, in seven out of the last eight months, sales of more than 4 million tonnes have been achieved. Another first.

Additionally, it is the first time that Singapore has recorded rolling 3-monthly sales of above 12.5 million tonnes in three consecutive months: 12.623 million tonnes were sold between March and May; sales of 12.560 million tonnes were achieved between April and June; and a sales volume of 12.565 million tonnes was recorded between May and July.

In comparison with the corresponding month last year, volumes were up by 329,700 tonnes, or 8.7 percent. It is the fifteenth year-on-year monthly rise in a row, and the eighteenth in the last nineteen months.

Accumulated bunker sales for the first half of the year are 28,499,100 tonnes, which represents an increase of 3,151,100 tonnes, or 12.4 percent, on the first seven months of 2015 (25,348,000 tonnes). It is also the highest figure ever recorded for the first seven months of the year - beating the volumes sold during the corresponding period in 2014 (24,507,000 tonnes), 2013 (24,627,500 tonnes), and 2012 (25,393,200 tonnes).

If Singapore were to sell at least 4 million tonnes in each of the remaining five months of the year, then it would reach an annual figure of 48.5 million tonnes. The monthly 4.3-million-tonne average needed to reach 50 million tonnes would appear to be too ambitious a sales target - at least for this year.

Sales of 380 centistoke (cSt) - Singapore's best-selling bunker grade - rose 63,900 tonnes, or 2.1 percent, to 3,046,000 tonnes in July compared to the previous month.

In comparison with the corresponding month last year, the figure is 139,600 tonnes, or 4.8 percent higher. It is also the best July result in the port's history.

Month-on-month 500 cSt volumes dipped from the previous month's second-best-ever figure, falling 36,900 tonnes, or 4.1 percent, to 857,800 tonnes. Compared to last year, the result was up 175,900 tonnes, or 25.8 percent.

Below are tables of monthly bunker sales in Singapore for each fuel grade since 2015 with accumulated annual totals in the bottom row.

2016	Total	500cst	380cst	MGO	MGO LS
Jan	4,164.5	723.7	3,204.3	76.4	84.5
Feb	3,510.0	664.7	2,635.1	62.6	82.6
Mar	4,149.8	792.3	3,130.0	78.2	87.5
Apr	4,109.7	751.2	3,068.8	91.0	127.6
May	4,363.7	899.4	3,229.9	81.6	101.3
Jun	4,086.4	894.7	2,981.6	68.0	85.6
Jul	4,115.0	857.8	3,046.0	67.5	92.2
Total	28,499.1	5,583.8	21,296.2	525.3	661.3

2015	Total	500cst	380cst	180cst	MGO
Jan	3,680.1	676.7	2,763.1	69.2	86.9
Feb	3,396.0	694.4	2,490.1	59.4	82.9
Mar	3,577.5	721.4	2,650.5	56.1	83.6
Apr	3,665.9	726.3	2,741.5	49.4	81.6
May	3,707.2	704.9	2,803.9	51.0	79.5
Jun	3,536.0	725.8	2,620.4	53.8	70.1
Jul	3,785.3	681.9	2,906.4	60.7	77.0
Aug	4,287.8	774.8	3,295.6	64.3	70.4
Sep	3,847.7	736.8	2,908.7	49.6	84.6
Oct	3,637.0	576.0	2,849.1	57.0	87.2
Nov	3,984.0	820.0	2,977.4	48.6	68.1
Dec	4,051.2	759.8	3,100.1	54.4	64.2
Total	45,155.6	8,598.8	34,106.8	673.5	936.1