ANHOR · FAQ
Marine fuel brokerage: questions answered.
Clear answers for bunker buyers, suppliers and traders. ANHOR acts exclusively on the buyer’s side.
What does a marine fuel broker do, and how is one different from a supplier or trader?
A marine fuel broker coordinates a buyer's bunker requirement, seeks comparable offers from suppliers and supports the selected transaction through delivery. ANHOR acts only on the buyer's side. It is not a supplier, trader or reseller: it does not buy fuel, take title to it, hold stocks or finance the sale. The chosen supplier sells the fuel directly to the buyer.
Who pays the marine fuel broker: the buyer or the supplier?
The payment model is agreed for the particular mandate. Where ANHOR's marine fuel brokerage is supplier-funded, its remuneration is agreed with the supplier under written broker terms and disclosed to the buyer. The buyer does not receive a separate ANHOR brokerage invoice for that supplier-funded service. A buyer-paid mandate would require its own express terms; no fee should be assumed from a website visit.
What does buyer-side marine fuel brokerage mean?
Buyer-side marine fuel brokerage means ANHOR works to obtain and compare supply options for the shipowner or operator placing the requirement. The buyer chooses the seller, contracts with that seller and pays it directly. ANHOR does not hold client funds or grant credit. If a supplier pays ANHOR's brokerage remuneration, that arrangement is declared to the buyer rather than concealed in the buying process.
What information is needed to compare offers for a bunker stem?
To request a marine fuel comparison, provide the delivery port, product and specification, estimated quantity, delivery window and requested payment terms. Identify the receiving vessel and its IMO number where available, and include a current quote if you want it challenged. These details let suppliers price the same requirement; ANHOR can then clarify any missing operational or credit information before seeking firm offers.
How is compliance-adjusted marine fuel cost calculated with EU ETS and FuelEU Maritime?
Start with the delivered fuel price for the specified vessel, route and quantity. Estimate the relevant EU ETS allowance exposure from verified or defensible emissions, voyage scope and a dated EUA price. Assess FuelEU Maritime separately against the ship's annual greenhouse-gas-intensity balance, including any applicable pooling or compliance cost. State assumptions and avoid treating an estimated allowance cost or FuelEU exposure as a fixed surcharge on every tonne.
How much does EU ETS add to a bunker stem in 2026?
There is no universal EU ETS charge per tonne of fuel. For 2026 emissions, the phase-in reaches 100% of covered emissions, while voyage scope still matters: broadly 100% between EU ports and in EU ports, and 50% on voyages between an EU and a non-EU port. Estimate emissions attributable to the stem, apply the relevant scope and multiply by a dated EUA price; contract terms determine who bears the cost.
What is a BDN, and why does it matter to a marine fuel broker?
A Bunker Delivery Note, or BDN, records key particulars of fuel delivered to a ship under MARPOL Annex VI and accompanies the required representative fuel sample. For a marine fuel broker it is part of the delivery evidence: the buyer, supplier and broker can reconcile vessel, product, quantity, delivery details and any discrepancy against the fixture. The BDN does not replace independent quality testing or the contract's claims procedure.
How is a bunker supplier checked before receiving a requirement?
Before approaching a supplier, ANHOR checks the legal entity, registration, ownership and relevant sanctions exposure, then considers its ability to deliver at the port and through the proposed route. Transaction checks can also cover authority, bank details, product origin, vessel and documentation. Screening is risk-based and refreshed as needed; it is not a guarantee of performance or creditworthiness, and the seller performs its own buyer due diligence.
Who contracts with the supplier, and who pays for the fuel?
The shipowner or operator buying the bunker contracts directly with the selected supplier and pays that supplier under their agreed sale terms. ANHOR coordinates the comparison and may support the fixture, documents and delivery, but does not become the seller, take title to the fuel, receive the buyer's fuel payment or extend buyer credit. A supplier-funded broker fee is a separate agreement disclosed to the buyer.
Why use a broker instead of buying marine fuel directly?
A buyer may use a marine fuel broker to obtain comparable offers across available suppliers, test a current quote and evaluate delivered price alongside payment terms and execution risk. ANHOR can also coordinate an urgent or out-of-contract stem and follow the chosen delivery. The buyer remains free to select a supplier or buy directly; brokerage is useful when competition, time or an independent comparison changes the decision.