Bunker Fuel

JLC China Bunker Fuel Market Monthly Report (September 2025)

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales declined in September due to factors including port operations being affected by a new round of typhoons and bunkering efficiency of ports decreasing amid US sanctions.

Published

8 months ago

October 15, 2025

Admin

Beijing-based commodity market information provider JLC Network Technology Co. recently shared its JLC China Bunker monthly report for September 2025 with Manifold Times through an exclusive arrangement:

Bunker Fuel Demand

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales decline in September

China’s bonded bunker fuel sales declined in September, due to multiple factors.

The country sold roughly 1.67 million mt of bonded bunker fuel in the month, with the daily sales at 55,583 mt, down by 2.56% from August, JLC’s data shows.

Port operations in East and South China were affected by a new round of typhoons, and downstream demand for cargo transportation was also depressed. Meanwhile, the bunkering efficiency of some domestic ports decreased amid the US’s sanctions.

The sales by Chimbusco, Sinopec (Zhoushan), SinoBunker and China Changjiang Bunker (Sinopec) respectively settled at 450,000 mt, 530,000 mt, 44,000 mt and 18,000 mt in the month, while those by suppliers with regional bunkering licenses settled at 625,500 mt.

China’s LSFO output slips in September

China’s LSFO output slipped in September, as refiners’ production margins were relatively bad and CNOOC was short of export quotas.

Chinese refiners produced 1.05 million mt of LSFO in the month, with the daily output at 34,933 mt, a cut of 1.55% month on month, JLC’s data shows.

Specifically, Sinopec’s LSFO output was stable in the month. The company’s Shengli Oilfield resumed production after maintenance, while most of the other refineries reduced production after previous boosts.

PetroChina recorded a fall in its output in September, as its Fushun Petrochemical was under maintenance through September and Gaofu Refinery suspended LSFO production. The output of other refineries did not change much in the month.

CNOOC lowered its LSFO production when it was running short of LSFO export quotas. The company’s Zhongjie Petrochemical and Huizhou Petrochemical decelerated their production, while Taizhou Petrochemical slightly boosted its output. The output of Zhoushan Petrochemical was stable month on month.

ZPC and Sinochem did not produce any LSFO in September, but the latter exported about 15,000 mt of MGO.

On a year-on-year comparison, however, China’s LSFO output increased by 5.54% in September.

China has released this year’s third batch of LSFO export quotas, with 605,000 mt, all for Sinopec, according to industry sources.

Screenshot 2025 10 15 at 2.59.55 PM

Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand continues to grow in September

Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand continued to grow in September, because of pre-holiday restocking.

Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel demand settled at 380,000 mt in the month, growing by 20,000 mt or 5.56% month on month, JLC’s data shows. At the same time, domestic-trade light bunker fuel demand stood at 160,000 mt, rising by 5,000 mt or 3.23% from the prior month.

Shipowners increased purchases of domestic-trade bunker fuel to replenish their inventories before the public holidays for the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival. Meanwhile, demand for MGO and bunker fuel was relatively fair after the end of the fishing moratorium in all Chinese waters.

Bunker Fuel Supply

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports tumble in August

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports tumbled in August, with HSFO arrivals decreasing amid relatively high inventories.

Chinese bunker suppliers imported 489,600 mt of bonded bunker fuel in the month, a plunge of 23.88% from the prior month, despite a surge of 38.77% year on year, JLC’s calculations show, based on the GACC data.

Bonded distributors reduced their purchases of imported HSFO as their inventories were relatively high after previous boosts in the imports. However, bonded LSFO arrivals increased, while those of marine gas oil were still basically stable.

As the largest bonded bunker fuel supplier in August, Singapore exported 145,100 mt to China, accounting for 29.63% of the latter’s total imports. South Korea climbed to the second place with 126,700 mt, accounting for 25.88%, while Malaysia slipped to the third place with 110,100 mt, making up 22.48%. Indonesia ranked fourth with 107,700 mt, occupying 22.01%.

China’s bonded bunker fuel imports totaled about 4.34 million mt in January-August 2025, soaring by 55.50% from the same period of time in 2024, the calculations also show.

Screenshot 2025 10 15 at 3.00.21 PM

Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel supply grows in September

Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel supply grew further in September, supported by increasing availability of low-sulfur residual oil and higher buying interest.

Chinese blenders supplied about 400,000 mt of domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel in the month, a boost of 20,000 mt or 5.26% from the previous month, JLC’s data shows.

These blenders ramped up their bunker fuel production when upstream supply of low-sulfur residual oil increased. Meanwhile, downstream buying interest grew amid the approach of the public holidays for the National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival, which also prompted blenders to increase their bunker fuel supply.

Domestic-trade MGO supply settled at 180,000 mt in September, unchanged from the prior month, the data shows.

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Bunker Prices, Profits

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Editor
Yvette Luo
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Sales (Beijing)
Tony Tang
+86-10-84428863
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Sales (Singapore)
Ginny Teo
+65-31571254
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JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd is recognised as the leading information provider in China. We specialise in providing the transparent, high-value, authoritative market intelligence and professional analysis in commodity market. Our expertise covers oil, gas, coal, chemical, plastic, rubber, fertilizer and metal industry, etc.

JLC China Bunker Fuel Market Monthly Report is published by JLC Network Technology Co., Ltd every month on China bunker market, demand, supply, margin, freight index, forecast and so on. The report provides full-scale & concise insight into China bunker oil market.

Note: China-based commodity market information provider JLC Technology has been providing Singapore bunkering publication Manifold Times China bunker volume data since 2020. Data from earlier periods are available here.

Photo credit: JLC Network Technology
Published: 15 October, 2025

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Biofuel

BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

Bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier “Berge Lyngor”, which was bunkered in Singapore in early May.

Published

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June 3, 2026

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BHP and GCMD trial multi-feedstock B100 bio bunker fuel on bulk carrier

BHP and the Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation (GCMD) on Wednesday (3 June) said they have blended biofuels from two distinct feedstocks—used cooking oil and waste animal fats —and introduced the lower-emissions marine fuel into a BHP-chartered bulk carrier as part of a pilot project.

The bio-blend in the BHP and GCMD pilot is being used on a BHP-chartered bulk carrier Berge Lyngor, owned and operated by Berge Bulk, transporting BHP iron ore from Western Australia to China. When run on bio-blend, the vessel has the potential to reduce well-to-wake greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 79 per cent per voyage compared to sailing on very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).

The vessel bunkered in Singapore in early May with a B100 bio-blend comprising 50 percent tallow-derived biodiesel, sourced and supplied by HAMR Energy, and 50 per cent used cooking oil (UCOME) supplied by Mitsui & Co Energy Trading Singapore (METS).

Mitsui also blended the fuel and Dan-Bunkering coordinated and executed the bunkering operation, which was performed by Global Energy’s barge MT Maple.

The BHP and GCMD pilot will assess how biofuels from multiple feedstocks can be blended, handled, and introduced under real-world operating conditions using existing used cooking oil bunkering infrastructure.

At the same time, insights from this pilot will help identify solutions to challenges related to fuel quality, handling, traceability, and onboard vessel performance.

Biofuels for global shipping today rely heavily on used cooking oil – a feedstock whose availability is approaching its projected limits. Biofuel from waste animal fats presents a promising option to expand the supply of lower-emissions marine fuels.

The outcomes of the pilot are expected to shed light on the practical steps to integrate biofuel blends from different feedstocks into existing supply chains. The diversity of biofuels will provide shipowners and operators with greater flexibility to optimise fuel procurement based on cost, availability, and lifecycle emissions performance.

Biofuels derived from different feedstocks can exhibit varying properties that may impact operations, including potential corrosion from oxidation, fuel system clogging caused by wax formation, which this pilot aims to assess.

The pilot will trace and verify the biofuel blend’s integrity aimed at bolstering confidence in emissions reductions reporting. The pilot will also provide insights into how robust tracing can support future marine fuel supply chains where biofuels from multiple feedstocks with varying lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions footprints are blended together.

This project is co-funded by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore under the Maritime Innovation and Technology Fund (MINT).

Photo credit: Global Centre for Maritime Decarbonisation
Published: 3 June, 2026

Biofuel

NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices.

Published

22 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Admin

NYK starts one-year B100 bio bunker fuel trial on car carrier

Japanese shipping firm NYK on Tuesday (2 June) said it has commenced a one-year long-term trial involving the continuous use of 100% biofuel (B100) on an NYK-operated car carrier.

In this trial, NYK will operate a car carrier continuously on B100 for one year to evaluate the impact on engines, fuel supply systems, and operational practices. High-purity biofuels such as B100 are known to be susceptible to degradation from oxygen, light, and heat, raising concerns about the stability of such fuels during long-term use.

In this trial, the biofuel primarily comprises FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester) derived from used cooking oil and similar feedstocks.

The initiative is designed to evaluate the fuel’s effects on the vessel’s equipment and verify operational safety under real-world conditions.

Through this effort, NYK seeks to accumulate technical expertise that will support the broader use of high-purity biofuels and further accelerate efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

NYK has been advancing the use of biofuels through various initiatives. In 2024, the company conducted a trial using biofuel blend B24 and subsequently expanded practical usage to B30. However, the company said there remains limited global experience with the long-term continuous use of B100.

“By collecting long-term operational data through this trial, NYK aims to accumulate valuable technical insights to support both the safe operation of vessels and the wider adoption of high-purity biofuels,” it said.

Photo credit: NYK
Published: 3 June, 2026

Ammonia

AM Green plans to build green ammonia plant at Indian port

Initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes, says VOC Port Authority.

Published

23 hours ago

June 3, 2026

Admin

VO Chidambaranar (VOC) Port Authority on Friday (29 May) said it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India’s ammonia producer AM Green Ammonia to collaborate in the development of a green ammonia production plant.

The plant will have a capacity of one million tonnes per annum (MTPA) at Tuticorin.

The initiative also includes development of green ammonia handling, storage and bunkering infrastructure, pilot bunkering operations, safety procedures and training programmes.

The project is expected to support the development of green fuel corridors connecting VOC Port with major ports in Europe and Asia, thereby strengthening India’s position in the global green fuels value chain.

VOC Port also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bureau Veritas (India) Pvt. Ltd., to collaborate on Green Port certification, emissions accounting, ESG reporting, safety validation, development of green bunkering practices, and establishment of a Centre of Excellence for green fuels and sustainability.

The port also plans for an upcoming 750 m³ green methanol bunkering facility.

Photo credit: Naveed Ahmed on Unsplash
Published: 3 June, 2026