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The port of Singapore recorded its biggest month-on-month decline since February in September, according to data released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Total sales at the world's leading bunker port fell by 397,000 tonnes, or 9.4 percent, to 3,831,000 tonnes last month, down from 4,228,000 tonnes in August. It is the second-best September figure in the port's history - just 16,600 tonnes, or 0.4 percent, below last year's record result of 3,847,600 tonnes.

It is also the first time since February that sales have fallen below 4 million tonnes, thus bringing an end to the port's record sequence of six consecutive months of sales of more than 4 million tonnes between March and August.

However, the port's record of consecutive rolling 3-month sales of more than 12 million tonnes continues for another month. For five months in a row now, 3-month sales have not fallen below 12 million tonnes. Between July and September, 12,174.000 tonnes were sold. Prior to the period March to May, Singapore had only achieved sales of more than 12 million tonnes once - between November 2015 and January 2016.

Accumulated bunker sales for the first nine months of the year are 36,558,100 tonnes, which represents an increase of 3,074,700 tonnes, or 9.2 percent, compared to 2015 (33,483,400 tonnes). It is the highest figure ever recorded for the first nine months of the year - thus beating not only last year's figure, but also the volumes sold during the corresponding period in 2014 (31,697,300 tonnes), 2013 (31,726,100 tonnes), and 2012 (32,275,600 tonnes).

With three months of the year to go, if Singapore were to sell an average of 4 million tonnes per month between October and December, then it would reach an annual figure of around 48.5 million tonnes, surpassing last year's figure of 45,155,600 tonnes.

380 cSt and 500 cSt

Sales of 380 centistoke (cSt) - Singapore's best-selling bunker grade - fell by 357,000 tonnes, or 11.5 percent, to 2,759,600 tonnes in September compared to the previous month. It is the second-lowest figure of the year and only the third this year below 3 million tonnes.

In comparison with the corresponding month last year, the figure is 149,100 tonnes, or 5.1 percent, lower. Year-on-year 380 cSt sales are down for the second month in a row. Prior to August, the last year-on-year decline had been recorded in April 2015. October 2014 was the last month to record two year-on-year decreases in succession.

Month-on-month 500 cSt volumes dipped from the previous month's second-best-ever figure, falling 52,100 tonnes, or 5.8 percent, to 845,600 tonnes. Compared to last year, the result was up 108,800 tonnes, or 14.8 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
Aug	4,228.0	897.7	3,116.6	68.8	86.0
Sep	3,831.0	845.6	2,759.6	68.6	92.1
Total	36,558.1	7,327.1	27,172.4	662.7	843.4

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