By Jeslyn Lerh
       SINGAPORE, June 14 (Reuters) - Monthly sales of marine fuel, also known
as bunker fuel, exceeded 4.5 million tonnes and struck over five-year highs at
the world's largest refuelling hub Singapore in May, official data showed
Wednesday. 
    Singapore's bunker sales are an indicator of sentiment at one of the world's
major ports and demand also affects fuel oil refining margins in Asia. 
    Sales extended gains for a third consecutive month to 4.52 million tonnes,
up 6.2% month-on-month, Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority data showed. 
    The monthly sales figures were last higher in January 2018 at 4.61 million
tonnes, historical data showed.  
    The uptick reflected higher vessel calls for bunkering, which totalled 3,631
calls in April, extending gains for a third straight month. 
    Bunker prices remained more competitive at Singapore in May compared to
other regional ports in Asia, which drew more ships to refuel at Singapore in
recent months, trade sources said. 
    Sales of low sulphur fuel oil grades totalled 2.73 million tonnes in May,
climbing 1% from April, calculations based on the MPA data showed. 
    Meanwhile, sales of high sulphur fuel oil grades rose 18% from April to 1.40
million tonnes in May, while marine gasoil sales rose 4% month-on-month at
340,400 tonnes. 

    
    Singapore bunker sales and bunker vessel calls by month: 
 Month       Total Sales    M-o-M   Y-o-Y   Vessel Arrivals    M-o-M    Y-o-Y
            ('000 tonnes)                   (for bunkering)             
 Jan-22        4,033.40     -3.5%   -10.4%       3,115         -0.90%   -13.3%
 Feb-22        3,501.60     -13.2%  -15.0%       2,805        -10.00%   -13.4%
 Mar-22        3,770.10      7.7%   -10.2%       3,020         7.70%    -12.7%
 Apr-22        3,742.30     -0.7%   -12.1%       3,025         0.20%    -12.5%
 May-22        4,115.50     10.0%    1.1%        3,168         4.70%    -5.4%
 Jun-22        3,754.10     -8.8%   -8.7%        2,940         -7.20%   -9.3%
 Jul-22        4,120.60      9.8%    1.4%        3,181         8.20%    -3.4%
 Aug-22        4,116.30     -0.1%    1.1%        3,212         1.00%     0.7%
 Sep-22        3,967.60     -3.6%    0.8%        3,155         -1.80%    1.8%
 Oct-22        4,251.00      7.1%   -0.1%        3,431         8.70%     8.4%
 Nov-22        4,372.70      2.9%    3.6%        3,299         -3.80%    2.7%
 Dec-22        4,214.90     -3.6%    0.9%        3,311         0.40%     5.3%
 Jan-23        4,376.90      3.8%    8.5%        3,447         4.10%    10.7%
 Feb-23        3,794.30     -13.3%   8.4%        3,063        -11.10%    9.2%
 Mar-23        4,175.30     10.0%   10.7%        3,476         13.50%   15.1%
 Apr-23        4,253.50      1.9%   13.7%        3,495         0.50%    15.5%
 May-23*       4,518.30      6.2%    9.8%        3,631         3.90%    14.6%
  
    Monthly bunker sales by grade in '000 tonnes:
 Month      LSFO    LSFO 180   LSFO    MFO 180   MFO 380   MFO 500   MGO    LSMGO   Others
           100 cst    cst     380 cst    cst       cst       cst                    
 Jan-22    460.10    93.00    2007.90    0.10    1036.70    85.60   13.80   336.10   0.00
 Feb-22    459.60    93.80    1733.10    0.20     795.90   128.10   10.60   280.50   0.00
 Mar-22    555.10    100.60   1741.70    0.00     962.60   124.90    9.70   271.80   3.70
 Apr-22    533.00    111.60   1832.60    0.00     914.50    27.20    7.90   278.60  36.70
 May-22    540.20    103.30   1995.60    0.00     999.90    72.30    5.80   375.80  22.60
 Jun-22    382.10    90.40    1881.00    0.00    1045.90    47.40    6.90   272.70  27.60
 Jul-22    439.10    57.30    2009.10    0.00    1255.30    12.00   13.70   313.80  20.30
 Aug-22    397.10    53.90    2059.50    0.00    1227.50    2.90    11.30   330.40  32.60
 Sep-22    461.20    67.90    1944.40    0.00    1114.20    1.30     6.30   329.40  42.80
 Oct-22    363.70    68.40    2154.30    0.00    1309.70    1.60    11.10   305.10  37.10
 Nov-22    697.60    61.20    1992.90    0.00    1237.20    12.20   22.80   307.80  40.90
 Dec-22    372.30    73.70    2150.30    0.00    1265.80    0.00    20.60   285.60  46.60
 Jan-23    429.40    73.60    2298.30    0.00    1226.10    0.00    10.80   313.70  25.00
 Feb-23    346.44    63.47    1938.52    0.00    1105.58    3.69     6.21   297.02  33.41
 Mar-23    539.10    75.10    1960.50    0.10    1235.20    0.50    14.70   315.50  32.20
 Apr-23    589.60    82.10    2033.50    0.00    1164.80    21.70   15.30   312.10  33.30
 May-23*   454.50    73.70    2204.10    0.40    1367.70    30.90   27.50   312.90  46.60
   
    (Data from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore) 
    

 (Reporting by Jeslyn Lerh; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)