Bunker service from a ports’ competitive perspective - A case study on the Gothenburg region

For a port to be able to compete it needs to offer more than a berth. Bunkering is such a service. Bunkers are a major cost for shipping companies, because of this the selection of bunkering port is an important decision. The availability of bunker on the global market is abundant and the competitiveness between ports and suppliers are fierce. The purpose of this report is to determine the underlying factors of a shipping company’s choice of bunkering port, as well as to present suggestions on how the Port of Gothenburg can develop their competitiveness in bunkering services. This study focuses on two questions: How is the competitiveness among bunkering ports surrounding the Gothenburg region? How can the port of Gothenburg work to develop a competitive bunker port? The report is based on a case study with interviews with several stakeholders within the bunker market in the Gothenburg region. The case study is based on earlier research about the competitiveness on the bunker market as well as port selection criteria. Statistic data for the Gothenburg region trade has also been collected. The authors find that the port of Gothenburg is a competitive port, additionally the port possesses good possibilities to increase its competitiveness as a bunker port, mainly because of its geographical position and the closeness to refineries. The port is however lacking some bunkering services infrastructure to actually compete with the largest bunkering ports in the world. The most important competitive factor is the price of bunker, in which the port of Gothenburg is not in a leading position, although there is a good availability and quality in the bunkering services offered in the port. The authors find that an increase of internal competition would raise the total competitiveness as a bunker port