Base oils shipments from the Saudi Arabian ports of Yanbu and Jeddah held firm in September, contrasting with a slowdown in exports from Asia.The dynamic added to the attraction of shipments from Saudi Arabia for markets such as India that faced a sharp drop in supplies from Asia.Total shipments of more than 60,000 tonnes in September from Yanbu and Jeddah combined were similar to export levels the previous month, provisional shipping data showed.The shipments from Yanbu accounted for an unusually large portion of the supplies in September.Shipments from the two ports showed signs of staying at a higher level so far this month.The firm export volumes provided buyers in India and the UAE with a welcome source of alternative supplies to cover for a likely drop in shipments from South Korea this and next month.Supplies from the northeast Asian country are likely to dip because of scheduled maintenance work at a key Group II plant in the country until end-October.The lack of any significant pick-up in arbitrage shipments from the US in recent weeks curbed further buyers’ supply options.A growing volume of shipments from Saudi Arabia moved via the Suez Canal to markets like US, Argentina and Turkey in recent months.The shipments to those markets coincided with a seasonal slowdown in demand in outlets like UAE and India during the summer months.There were signs of a slowdown in such shipments to markets like the Americas in September and October, with more cargoes moving to markets like UAE, India and southeast Asia..India’s September base oils imports rise.South Korea’s Sept base oils exports fall.Argentina August base oils supply rises.US’ Aug base oils imports mixed
