Asia

Global Base Oils Cargo Flows: Week To 13 March

Iain Pocock

  • Saudi Arabia cargo diverts from UAE to India, with further sizeable loadings scheduled for second-half March

  • Cargo loaded from Spain bound for India via the Red Sea, amid a pick-up in flows via another disputed route

  • More US cargoes head to West Africa, with enquiries for additional shipments later this month

Asia

·         Large Group II cargo with combination of light and heavy grades set to load from Taiwan this week, with India the likely destination.

·         Cargo loadings from Taiwan show signs of rising so far in March vs February, but remain well below December and January levels.

·         Cargo of Group III base oils loaded from Indonesia in early-March before heading to Europe, set to arrive around mid-April.

·         Cargo loaded from Singapore in the past week before heading to UAE, with delivery route and final destination unclear.

Middle East

·         Cargo loaded from Saudi Arabia in late-February bound for the UAE before diverting to India, set to arrive in the coming days.

·         That pattern could repeat, with several large cargoes scheduled to load from Saudi Arabia during second-half March.

·         Cargo of premium grades loaded from Qatar in late-January before heading to northern Europe, set to arrive this week.

·         Last Group III shipments to load from the Middle East were in late-February, with most supplies bound for the US and set to arrive in late-March and early April.

Europe

·         Cargo of premium-grade base oils loaded from Spain in early-March before heading to northwest Europe, arrived in recent days.

·         Cargo loaded from Spain in late-February before heading to India, via the Red Sea, set to arrive in the coming days.

Americas

·         Cargo of Group I base oils loaded from US in the past week before heading to northwest Europe, set to arrive in late-March.

·         Cargo loaded from US in February and early-March before heading to West Africa, set to arrive in early-April.

·         Enquiry for vessel to load large cargo from US Gulf coast in second-half March bound for West Africa.

Argentina’s March Base Oils Supply Lags Demand

FUCHS Q1 EBIT Hits Record High Amid Market Volatility

India’s March Base Oils Output Hits Record High

Asia’s February Lubricants Demand Rises, Surplus Falls

South Korea’s Base Oils Output Holds Firm In March