Question 1

What is fuel oil sourcing?

Accepted Answer

Fuel oil sourcing is the process of identifying and securing supply of heavy fuel oil grades — such as HSFO, VLSFO, LSFO, and No. 6 — for buyers including power generators, refineries, and bunker operators. A fuel oil broker like Bearing Commodities connects buyers with qualified suppliers, leveraging market relationships and grade-specific knowledge to find the right match for each buyer's specifications, volume, and delivery requirements.

Question 2

What grades of fuel oil can Bearing Commodities connect me to?

Accepted Answer

Bearing Commodities sources across all major fuel oil grades: HSFO (High Sulfur Fuel Oil), VLSFO (Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil, IMO 2020-compliant), LSFO (Low Sulfur Fuel Oil), No. 6 fuel oil, and refinery feedstocks including vacuum gas oil and atmospheric residue. We work with buyers to understand their specific grade requirements and connect them with suppliers who can meet those specifications.

Question 3

What is cargo lightering and how does it work?

Accepted Answer

Cargo lightering is the transfer of cargo from a large vessel to one or more smaller vessels, typically performed offshore. It is used when a large tanker cannot enter a port or terminal due to draft restrictions — the cargo is transferred to smaller vessels that can navigate the shallower waters. Bearing Commodities arranges lightering operations by coordinating the vessels, logistics, and timing required to execute the transfer efficiently. Lightering is commonly used in crude oil and fuel oil deliveries.

Question 4

What is co-freight and how can it reduce my costs?

Accepted Answer

Co-freight (also called cargo sharing or parcel freight) involves combining multiple smaller cargo parcels from different shippers into a single vessel voyage. This allows each shipper to benefit from the economics of a larger vessel without needing to fill it alone. Bearing Commodities identifies co-freight opportunities by matching clients with complementary cargo requirements — reducing per-unit freight costs for all parties involved. This is particularly valuable for buyers and sellers whose volumes don't justify a full vessel charter.

Question 5

How does an oil brokerage work?

Accepted Answer

An oil broker acts as a neutral intermediary between buyers and sellers of crude oil or petroleum products. The broker identifies counterparties, facilitates price discovery, and guides both sides through the commercial and logistical aspects of a transaction. Bearing Commodities earns a brokerage commission upon successful transaction close — we have no proprietary positions and our interests are aligned with facilitating the best possible outcome for our clients. We work on both spot and term transactions.

Question 6

Who does Bearing Commodities work with?

Accepted Answer

Bearing Commodities works with a range of B2B energy market participants: refineries and petrochemical plants, power generation facilities, shipping and bunker operators, oil trading firms, and industrial end-users. We serve both buyers and sellers across crude oil and refined products markets, domestically and internationally.

Question 7

How do I get market guidance from Bearing Commodities?

Accepted Answer

Contact us through our inquiry form or by phone/email to discuss your market questions. We provide guidance on pricing context, supply and demand dynamics, grade differentials, and counterparty quality — tailored to the specific segment of the market relevant to your business. Our guidance is grounded in active market participation, not theoretical analysis.

Question 8

How do I request a quote or make a market connection?

Accepted Answer

Use the contact form on our Contact page to submit an inquiry. Include your company name, the product or service you're interested in, and a brief description of your requirements. We typically respond within one business day. For time-sensitive inquiries, you can also reach us by phone during business hours.

Question 9

What is the difference between crude oil and refined products brokerage?

Accepted Answer

Crude oil brokerage involves facilitating transactions in unprocessed petroleum — connecting producers with refineries and trading firms. Refined products brokerage covers petroleum products that have been processed from crude oil, such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, heating oil, and fuel oil grades. The two markets have different pricing benchmarks, grade specifications, logistics requirements, and counterparty networks. Bearing Commodities has expertise in both.

Question 10

Does Bearing Commodities work internationally?

Accepted Answer

Yes. While Bearing Commodities is a U.S.-based firm, our brokerage services and counterparty network extend to international markets. Crude oil and refined products are global commodities, and our clients include companies involved in cross-border transactions. We can facilitate introductions and transactions involving international producers, trading firms, and buyers.

Frequently Asked Questions — Oil Brokerage & Commodity Trading

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