SINGAPORE - Marine fuel sales in Singapore, the world's top bunker port, fell 8 percent in July from a record high the month before, although turnover was still up from a year ago, government data showed on Monday.

Bunker sales fell to about 2.49 million tonnes last month, compared with an all-time high volume of 2.72 million tonnes in June, according to data from Singapore's Maritime and Port Authority. In July of last year sales of ship fuel totalled 2.35 million tonnes.

Traders said the July volume, the lowest since January, reflected market sentiment last month when monthly average fuel oil cargo prices hit a second consecutive all-time high.

The July monthly average bunkers grade 380-centistoke (cst) price was $379.80 a tonne, up 8.2 percent from June and 13.2 percent higher than year-ago levels.

"Prices rose to a point where it was beyond the market's ability to sustain. Shipowners were just buying the absolute minimum that they need to get to the next port," a Singapore-based supplier said.

Sales of the cheaper, lower-grade 500-cst saw all-time high volumes of 348,000 tonnes, up 10.9 percent from June and up 31.2 percent on the year.

About 1.81 million tonnes of the benchmark 380-cst grade were sold, down 10.2 percent from June but up 8.9 percent on the year. Volumes for all other grades, including 180-cst and marine gas oil, also fell.

"It would make sense that buyers would go for the cheapest option, which is the 500-cst, as long as their engines can burn the oil," another supplier said.

Traders expect August volumes to rebound in the face of falling outright prices, which are down about $30 a tonne in the last five trading sessions.