Tampa: The dust settled last week after phosphate producers and their sulfur suppliers reached an agreement in late January for deliveries of molten sulfur to Tampa for the first quarter. The new price was down $10/lt, from $160/lt to $150/lt DEL, and was retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013.
No transportation problems were found last week. The roadway situation in Canada, which has been affected by fluctuating temperatures and freeze-thaw cycles, was improving and had reportedly stabilized.
The U.S. Department of Energy said refinery rates fell from 85 percent to 84.2 percent last week, a decrease of 0.8 percent from the previous week. Stocks of finished products remained very high, despite the higher prices for gasoline at the consumer level, and crude stocks were considered very high compared to normal levels for this time of year.
U.S. Gulf: Gulf Coast prices were hovering at about $150/mt FOB.
Vancouver: Spot prices at Vancouver were flat in the range of $140-$150/mt FOB, despite the lower price for molten to Tampa.
Contract prices for the first quarter were said to be in the range of $150-$170/mt FOB. However, most sulfur sales from Vancouver were being made on a spot basis.
West Coast: Prices for the West Coast were in the same range as Vancouver.