All the major markets have continued to experience even lower levels of activity this week. A significant number of ships are now idle, and some have not moved for three weeks. The only positive note for owners is that bunker prices are now much lower – typically $580 per ton FOB Rotterdam instead of the $700/t that it cost two months ago. U.S. Gulf of Mexico It has been another difficult week for owners with ships that are open in the U.S. Gulf. Not much is happening in the U.S. Gulf to ...

Citgo sued distributor Mid-State Energy and subsidiary Highland Oil, alleging they sold poor quality, non-Citgo bulk lubricants falsely labeled with Citgo marks, violating distributor and packaging agreements and harming Citgos reputation. Citgo Petroleum Corp. filed its lawsuit in April in the U.S. District Courts Tampa, Fla. Division. Mid-State Energy (MSE) and Highland Oil are both based in Lake Wales, Fla. The lawsuits counts include trademark infringement; false designation of origin, fal...

Calumet Specialty Products continued its recent path of aggressive growth last week when it purchased Royal Purple, a privately held commercial and industrial lubricants producer in Porter, Texas, for approximately $335 million. Founded in 1986, Royal Purple produces consumer and industrial lubricants and shares a similar customer base with Calumet that will lead to substantial marketing synergies between the two companies, according to Calumet President and CEO Jennifer Straumins. Royal Pur...

IQ Products sued WD-40 for breach of contract, alleging WD-40 terminated a long-term packaging agreement as retaliation when IQ Products notified it of an aerosol valves safety defect and suggested a safer alternative. The lawsuit was filed May 31 in Houston in the U.S. District Court of the Southern District of Texas. In a statement to Lube Report, San Diego-based WD-40 said it strenuously disputes the allegations being made in the suit, but, due to pending litigation, cannot comment on the d...

ExxonMobil plans to expand the corporate campus it is building north of Houston to accommodate an additional 2,000-plus employees presently working at offices in Fairfax, Va., Akron, Ohio, and other Texas locations. Affected operations include ExxonMobil Lubricants & Specialties Marketing Co.; ExxonMobil Refining and Supply Co.; ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Co.; and ExxonMobil Fuels, all based in Fairfax County. The 110 employees at Akron-based ExxonMobil Chemical Co. will relocate,...

Brenntag signed an agreement to acquire Milan, Italy-based Petrolube, which distributes Infineums specialty lubricant and fuel additives. According to Brenntag, the Petrolube acquisition further strengthens its strategic relationship with Infineum. Applications are vehicles, motorcycles, heavy duty vehicles and industrial use, Brenntag spokesman Hubertus Spethmann told Lube Report. Warehousing will be integrated into our existing facilities, which are planned for next year. Petrolube distribut...