Beijing-based commodity market information provider JLC Network Technology Co. recently shared its JLC China Bunker monthly report for August 2026 with Manifold Times through an exclusive arrangement:
Bunker Fuel Demand
China’s bonded bunker fuel sales decline in August
China sold 1.61 million mt of bonded bunker fuel in August, with the daily sales at 51,974 mt, down by 9.62% month on month, JLC’s data shows.
Typhoons continued in many regions in August, and some ports in East China even suspended bunkering temporarily.
Meanwhile, bonded bunker fuel supply at some domestic ports remained tight, which also dragged down the sales.
Shipowners were still cautious about bunkering as bonded bunker fuel prices remained on the rise.
Regarding the sales by supplier, the sales by Chimbusco, Sinopec (Zhoushan), SinoBunker, and China Changjiang Bunker (Sinopec) respectively settled at 315,000 mt, 620,000 mt, 57,000 mt, and 5,000 mt in the month, while those by suppliers with regional bunkering licenses settled at 614,200 mt.
China’s LSFO output drops in August
Chinese refiners produced about 1.12 million mt of low-sulfur fuel oil (LSFO) in August, with the daily output at 36,258 mt, a cut of 12.87% month on month, JLC’s data shows.
Specifically, Sinopec’s LSFO output slipped in the month, as refineries were more inclined to produce gasoline and diesel when cracking spreads of these two products increased.
Meanwhile, certain refineries were still under maintenance, which also capped the overall output.
PetroChina lowered its refineries’ LSFO production plans due to tightening export quotas.
By contrast, CNOOC recorded an increase in its output, with T aizhou Petrochemical resuming production.
Zhoushan Petrochemical did not produce any LSFO in the month.
ZPC and Sinochem did not produce any LSFO in the month, but the latter produced and exported 10,000 mt of marine gas oil (MGO).


Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand weakens in August
Domestic-trade bunker fuel demand continued to weaken in August, as inland and coastal shipping remained seasonally tepid and port operations in East China were hindered by severe weather.
Domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel demand settled at 270,000 mt in the month, with the daily demand at 8,710 mt, down by 10.00% month on month, JLC’s data shows.
In the meantime, domestic-trade light bunker fuel demand fell to 120,000 mt, with the daily volume at 3,871 mt, down by 14.29% from the prior month, the data shows. Downstream buying interest was depressed by high MGO prices.
Bunker Fuel Supply
China’s bonded bunker fuel imports increase in July
China’s bonded bunker fuel imports increased in July, as some bonded distributors resumed imports of LSFO after a three-month suspension.
The country imported 530,400 mt of bonded bunker fuel in the month, a modest boost of 2.93% month on month, calculations show, based on the GACC data.
Bonded bunker suppliers imported some LSFO to meet demand when domestic production retreated.
In addition, they increased purchases of imported high-sulfur fuel oil (HSFO) in June when the conflict between the U.S. and Iran eased, leading to a rise in the arrivals for July.
The arrivals of imported MGO also grew in July.
On a year-on-year comparison, however, China’s bonded bunker fuel imports plunged by 17.54% in July.
Regarding the imports by source, Russia remained the largest supplier by exporting 234,600 mt of bonded bunker fuel to China, accounting for 44.23% of the latter’s total imports. Singapore became the second largest supplier with 153,800 mt, accounting for 29.00%, while South Korea slipped to the third place with 81,100 mt, accounting for 15.30%. Japan ranked fourth with 60,800 mt, accounting for 11.47%.
China’s bonded bunker fuel imports totaled 3.91 million mt in the first seven months of this year, an increase of 1.68% from the same period of time in 2025, calculations also indicate.

Domestic-trade bunker fuel supply tightens in August
Chinese blenders supplied 250,000 mt of domestic-trade heavy bunker fuel in August, with the daily supply at 8,065 mt, down by 7.41% month on month, JLC’s data shows.
Despite some unit restarts, blendstock supply was still relatively tight, especially low-sulfur residual oil supply .
Meanwhile, blenders in North China showed lower blending interest amid stricter tax inspections, and they maintained low inventories of consumption-tax-included bunker fuel.
Domestic-trade MGO supply settled at 150,000 mt in August, with the daily supply at 4,839 mt, down by 11.76% month on month, the data shows. Refineries’ production enthusiasm was dampened by high feedstock costs and tight feedstock supply.

Bunker Prices, Profits

Editor
Yvette Luo
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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.
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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: 11 September, 2026