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Maritime Fuel VLSFO Price — Import Cost Impact
VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) is the standard marine fuel since IMO 2020. We estimate its price from the Brent quote, in dollars and euro per tonne and per barrel, and show the fuel cost of one container on the Rotterdam–Constanța and Istanbul–Constanța routes, plus its share of the value of goods imported through Constanța port.
Estimated VLSFO price: 859.47 USD/metric ton (767.86 EUR/ton), derived from Brent crude at 117.7 USD/barrel (close of 2026-10-30) with a 15% premium. In the week ending 2026-10-16 (EIA data), Brent changed -1.4% versus the previous week.
VLSFO Price Trend — 52 Weeks
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VLSFO Impact on Import Costs
Romania imports approximately 60% of goods by sea, primarily through Constanta port. VLSFO costs are directly reflected in containerised shipping rates through BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) surcharges.
| Route | Distance | Fuel cost / TEU |
|---|---|---|
| Rotterdam — Constanta | ~6,500 km | 59.9 EUR |
| Istanbul — Constanta | ~600 km | 5.5 EUR |
At the estimated VLSFO price, maritime fuel represents approximately 0.22% of the value of goods transported in a standard container (TEU) on the Rotterdam-Constanta route.
Romanian Ports
Major Romanian ports and estimated annual containerised traffic:
| Port | Type | TEU / year (est.) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Constanta | Maritim | 680,000 | Al 4-lea port la Marea Neagra |
| Galati | Fluvial | 45,000 | Port fluvial pe Dunare |
| Braila | Fluvial | 18,000 | Port fluvial pe Dunare |
| Tulcea | Fluvial | 5,000 | Port la Delta Dunarii |
| Mangalia | Maritim | 12,000 | Santier naval + port cargo |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is VLSFO?
VLSFO (Very Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) has been the standard maritime fuel since 1 January 2020, when IMO 2020 regulations capped sulphur content at 0.50% by mass. Previously, ships used HFO (Heavy Fuel Oil) with up to 3.5% sulphur. VLSFO is more expensive than HFO but produces significantly lower SOx emissions. Its price correlates with Brent crude at an average premium of 15%, and is traded on bunker markets in Singapore, Rotterdam and Fujairah.
How does VLSFO affect goods prices?
VLSFO accounts for 15-25% of a container ship's operating costs. Shipping companies pass this cost to importers through BAF (Bunker Adjustment Factor) surcharges, revised monthly or quarterly. At the estimated price of 859.47 USD/ton, fuel cost on the Rotterdam-Constanta route is approximately 59.9 EUR per container (TEU). This amount is added to goods cost and reflected in retail prices with a 1-2 month delay.
What are the main Romanian ports?
Constanta is Romania's main maritime port and the 4th largest Black Sea port by containerised traffic, handling approximately 680,000 TEU per year. Other significant ports: Galati (Danube river port, ~45,000 TEU), Braila (river port, ~18,000 TEU), Mangalia (shipyard and cargo port) and Tulcea (Danube Delta port). Constanta serves not only Romania but also transit to Central Europe (Hungary, Austria, Serbia) via the Rhine-Danube corridor.
Related Pages
VLSFO price is estimated from Brent crude (latest daily close, Yahoo Finance, the same series as the Brent page; history and weekly change: EIA) with a 15% premium and density conversion factor of 6.35. Data is indicative and does not represent official bunker quotes. History updated weekly.
