The first seven months of this year saw Singapore's bunkering sector post fuel sales of more than 20 million metric tonnes (mt), after the July figures indicated an increase from the previous month.

Preliminary estimates from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) specify that July bunker sales were up 3.8% from June to 3.0726 million mt, bolstered by sales of 380 centistoke (cst) bunker grade.

The sales for July increased 1.4%, year-on-year, compared to 3.0309 million mt in the same month last year.

The MPA data revealed that sales for the first seven months of 2009 surpassed the annual sales of 20.809 million mt in 2003; with a reported total of 20.9647 million mt.

The data also specified that an increase was noticed in sales from January to July, from the 20.3888 million mt sold in the same period of 2008.

An independent physical supplier told Bunkerworld said: "July sales rose 1.4% compared to 3.0309 million mt in the same month last year. There were a lot of orders and demand was healthy last month."