Middle East cargoes set to boost US Group III arrivals in March to above-typical levels, before a slowdown in April
Large South Korea cargo bound for the US gains importance amid slowdown in Middle East flows
Cargo loaded from Saudi Arabia at end-February bound for the UAE, likely to face arrival delays
Asia
· Group II cargo with a combination of light and heavy grades set to load from Taiwan in coming days following a slowdown in flows in early March.
· Taiwan's February cargo loadings fell sharply from January, pointing to a drop in total exports last month to the lowest in around a year.
· Large cargo of premium-grade base oils loaded from South Korea in early March bound for the US Gulf coast, set to arrive in first-half April.
· Cargo of Group III base oils loaded from Indonesia at end-January bound for northwest Europe, set to arrive in coming days.
Middle East
· Cargo of Group III base oils loaded from Qatar around mid-January bound for the US Gulf coast, set to arrive in coming days.
· Cargo of Group III base oils loaded from UAE in second-half February bound for the US via the Red Sea, set to arrive at end-March.
· Middle East cargoes set to lift US Group III shipment arrivals in March to above-typical levels.
· Slowdown in US-bound shipments from the Middle East since the last week of February is set to trigger a fall in arrivals in April.
· Cargo of Group III base oils loaded from Bahrain in first-half January bound for Europe, arriving in recent days.
· Cargo loaded from Saudi Arabia at end-February bound for the UAE, set to arrive by mid-March, though delays are likely.
Europe
· Cargo of premium-grade base oils loaded from Spain around mid-February bound for the US Gulf coast, arriving in recent days.
· Cargo of very-light grade base oils loaded from Spain in early March, likely bound for India, with arrival around mid-April.
· Cargo of premium-grade base oils loaded from Spain in late February bound for northwest Europe, set to arrive by the end of this week.
Americas
· Cargo loaded from US Gulf coast in early March bound for South Africa, set to arrive at end-March. The cargo size suggests onward shipment to markets such as India or Pakistan.
· Cargo loaded from US Gulf coast in early February bound for India, set to arrive by mid-March.