LONDON, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Gasoil stocks independently held in the 

Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp hub fell 3.6 percent week on week as the cold weather increased demand for heating oil, Dutch oil analyst Pieter Kulsen said on Thursday. 

 

Gasoil inventories fell to 2.675 million tonnes from 2.776 million as traders found alternatives to the iced-up canals that had impeded barge traffic in the previous week.

"It was possible to discharge barges along the Rhine, and the cold snap has supported demand from the end-consumer," said Kulsen.

  

He said the canals that have been blocked by ice are gradually reopening as temperatures have picked up this week, but it will take a while for all the channels to be fully cleared of ice.

  

"Storage depots need to be replenished as a result of the cold snap," Kulsen said. "But it is difficult to assess the impact on supply and demand yet - everyone is very cautious." 

 

Gasoil cargoes departed ARA for northwest Europe and the Mediterranean for orders, as well as Tunisia. Gasoil arrived at ARA from Canada, Lithuania, Norway, Russia and the United States. 

Fuel oil stocks fell to 601,000 tonnes as electricity generating plants continued to draw to meet the extra demand for heating during the cold snap.  

Kulsen confirmed that fuel oil cargoes had departed to northwest Europe to meet power plant orders. "Basically Hamburg and Bordeaux, as well as the UK and Spain," he said.  

Fuel oil cargoes arrived from Brazil, France, Poland, Russia, the UK and United States.   

Gasoline stocks fell to 677,000 tonnes with cargoes departing for Mexico, Nigeria, Togo and the United States. Cargoes arrived from Finland, France, Poland, Russia and the UK.  

Naphtha and jet fuel stocks rose, naphtha to 55,000 tonnes and jet fuel to 632,000 tonnes, as demand remained muted in both markets.

  

Naphtha arrived from Latvia, and jet fuel from India, with draws by barges and petrochemicals for naphtha and pipeline flows for jet.