Fuel Oil 180 cSt (1.0% sulphur, Low Sulphur Fuel Oil) is a residual fuel oil produced at the bottom of the refining barrel, traditionally used as marine bunker fuel and industrial boiler fuel. The Rotterdam (ARA) hub is Europe's primary pricing and bunkering reference.

Since the IMO 2020 sulphur cap took effect, the fuel oil market split structurally between compliant low-sulphur grades (0.5%/1.0%, including VLSFO and FO180) and legacy high-sulphur 380 cSt fuel oil, which now trades at a persistent discount reflecting scrubber-fitted vessel demand.

Key Fuel Oil 180 Price Drivers

  • Brent crude price — the primary input cost for all residual fuel products
  • Refinery processing margins — residual fuel yield and complexity of the crude slate
  • IMO 2020 sulphur regulations — structural premium of low-sulphur grades vs high-sulphur fuel oil
  • Marine bunkering demand — global shipping fuel consumption trends
  • ARA storage levels — Insights Global weekly fuel oil inventory data