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Bunker sales in Singapore rose by 285,400 in January 2009 compared to the previous month, according to preliminary estimates released by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA).

Total sales of marine fuel at the world's leading bunker port rose to 3,019,700 tonnes last month from 2,734,300 tonnes in December, an increase of 10.4 percent.

The figure was also 217,500 tonnes, or 7.8 percent, higher than in January 2008, when the monthly total reached 2,802,200 tonnes.

Sales of 380-centistoke (cst) - Singapore's largest-selling bunker grade - rose by 273,100 tonnes last month compared to December 2008, reaching 2,331,100 tonnes. In a comparison with January 2008, sales volumes were 282,300 tonnes higher.

Meanwhile sales of 500-cst - the second-best selling product in Singapore - also improved in January 2009 compared to the previous month. Volumes sold were 325,800 tonnes versus 312,800 in December 2008, an increase of 13,000 tonnes. However, the figure was also 26,000 tonnes lower than volumes recorder during the same month last year.

Significantly, sales of 180-cst dropped to levels below those recorded during the whole of 2008. With monthly sales of 181,500 tonnes, volumes were 26,900 tonnes lower than in December 2008 and 58,100 tonnes, or 24.25 percent, below January 2008 sales volumes.

Marine gas oil(MGO) sales also fell in January 2009 compared to the previous month, dropping to 132,300 tonnes from 140,100 tonnes. However, in a comparison with January 2008, MGO sales were up by 5,300 tonnes.

Below is a table of bunker sales in Singapore for each fuel grade in 2009. The second table, for 2008, also includes accumulated totals in the bottom row.

2009	Total	500cst	380cst	180cst	MGO
Jan	3,019.7	325.8	2331.1	181.5	132.3

2008	Total	500cst	380cst	180cst	MGO
Jan	2,802.2	351.6	2,048.8	239.6	127.0
Feb	2,734.0	296.5	2,014.4	263.8	127.2
March	3,045.3	361.4	2,275.7	235.4	137.0
April	3,047.0	355.5	2,286.6	246.6	125.3
May	2,919.0	391.3	2,157.2	207.3	116.2
June	2,810.4	354.8	2,075.2	235.1	108.4
July	3,030.9	364.5	2,277.4	210.7	129.7
August	3,151.7	376.4	2,372.5	238.7	134.2
September	2,856.2	409.2	2,085.6	204.7	134.3
October	2,925.5	392.5	2,174.1	203.0	135.7
November	2,879.9	417.1	2,116.4	202.7	122.6
December	2,734.3	312.8	2,058.0	208.4	140.1
Total	34.936.4	4,383.6	25,941.9	2,696.0	1,537.7