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Rotterdam recorded a quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) and year-on-year (YoY) increase in bunker sales during the first quarter (Q1) of 2018, data released by Port of Rotterdam Authority has revealed.

Overall sales of marine fuel and lubricants (excluding LNG) were 2,541,212 cubic metres (cbm) in Q1, which was a QoQ rise of 122,560 cbm, or 5.1 percent, and a YoY increase of 65,746 cbm, or 2.7 percent.

Combined bunker volume (including fuel oil, MGO and MDO, but excluding LNG) totalled 2,515,009 cbm, representing a QoQ improvement of 119,980 cbm, or 5.0 percent, and a YoY growth of 65,146 cbm, or 2.7 percent.

Marine lubricant sales were up QoQ by 2,580 cbm, or 10.9 percent, to 26,203 cbm. In comparison with the prior-year period, the figure was higher by 600 cbm, or 2.3 percent.

LNG volume sold during the period was 729 metric tonnes, which was just under half of the total amount sold during the whole of last year.

Both fuel oil and MDO recorded QoQ and YoY increases: fuel oil sales were 2,134,350 cbm - a QoQ rise of 127,207 cbm, or 6.3 percent, and a YoY hike of 76,134, or 3.7 percent; and MDO volumes totalled 43,612 cbm, which was a QoQ jump of 17,965 cbm, or 70.0 percent, and a YoY increment of 15,960 cbm, or 57.7 percent.

For MGO in Q1, meanwhile, sales of 337,047 cbm represented a QoQ fall of 25,192 cbm, or 7.0 percent, and a YoY decrease of 26,948 cbm, or 7.4 percent.

Sales of marine distillates (MDO and MGO) during the January-March period made up 15.0 percent of marine fuel and lubricant sales, whilst fuel oil volume bunkered represented 84.0 percent of the total.