April imports from Qatar steady

The delivery of premium-grade base oils from Qatar to key global markets held steady in April as a rebound in flows to the US countered a drop in supplies to Asia.

The key markets of US, Europe and Asia-Pacific took delivery of around 168,000t of base oils from Qatar in April, government and customs data showed.

The volume was similar to March and lifted total shipments to 620,800t in the first four months of the year.

The total for the year was similar to year-earlier levels of around 625,000t.

The April volume got a boost from a jump in US imports from Qatar to a seven-month high of almost 70,000t.

The rise in shipments balanced out a pause in flows to Hong Kong in April for the second time in three months.