Argus Media

One month has passed since IMO 2020 came into effect, directing oceangoing vessels to switch from heavy bunker fuel to the cleaner 0.5% very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO). Listen to our latest podcast to learn how the Americas shipping industry has reacted to the mandates, including:

• How the transition period has disrupted the market

Host: Tracy Vowel, VP, Business Development

One month has passed since IMO 2020 came into effect, directing oceangoing vessels to switch from heavy bunker fuel to the cleaner 0.5% very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO). Listen to our latest podcast to learn how the Americas shipping industry has reacted to the mandates, including:

• How the transition period has disrupted the market

Host: Tracy Vowel, VP, Business Development

China's petrochemical refiners are making their presence felt way beyond the country's borders. How will this impact global supply, demand, and trade balances? Will global operating rates be reduced?

Textile giants Rongsheng and Hengli have shaken up China's cozy, state-dominated oil market this year with the addition of close to 1mn b/d of new crude distillation capacity and vast, integrated downstream complexes. Petrochemical products, rather than conventional road fuels, are the driving force for this new breed of private sector refiner. And more are on their way.

What role will China play in the global bunker market in 2020 and beyond?

The deadline for IMO 2020 is fast approaching and China is well positioned to emerge as a key player. China is home to six of the world's 10 largest container ports, has the world's second largest refining sector and a wealth of storage and blending capacity at domestic ports. Sammy Six, deputy editor for Argus Marine Fuels, and Jonty Richardson, Argus Consulting, discuss the impact of IMO 2020 and how China is well-positioned to take a significant step forward in the bunker market post-2020.

Nearly two years after China's ban on imports of plastic waste, what are the implications for plastic waste trade flows for the rest of the world?

China's ban on the imports of plastic waste has had a significant impact across the rest of the world given it's a vital cog in the global market. The impact of the ban was felt instantly particularly for the US and Europe, which were exporting a large percentage of their recycled plastics to China. As recycling efforts are a top concern, what does the future hold for the US and Europe? Will Collins, Associate Editor for Argus' European polymers, and Michelle Klump, Editor of the Argus Polymers report, discuss the factors that could influence any meaningful changes to recycling statistics.

A deeper look into China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and how Xi Jinping is positioning it globally, regionally and domestically.

The BRI is often seen as a global power move, and while this is the case, it’s not the whole story. In this China Connection podcast episode, Argus Chief Economist David Fyfe and Argus Vice President, China Crude and Products Tom Reed discuss what even smaller countries are finding to be the pros and cons of the BRI.

Higher freight rates are exacerbating the price impact of September’s attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure and the ensuing disruptions. While the kingdom has managed to stage an impressive recovery in output, ensuring all its customers remain adequately supplied, crude grades flowing from almost every region to Asia-Pacific are still posting record or multi-year high prices relative to their benchmarks. The deteriorating economics for long-haul crude shipments is helping embed tightness across Asian physical crude markets.

Presented by Alejandro Barbajosa, Argus Media Vice-President, Crude, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.

The US-China trade war has seen more than $600bn of bilateral trade fall victim to tariffs, including crude, LNG, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and other commodities related to manufactured industrial goods. While China just wants the tariffs to be removed, US president Donald Trump wants something much more comprehensive, which means we might be in this for a while. In this first episode of our China Connection miniseries, Argus Chief Economist David Fyfe and Associate Editor Haik Gugarats discuss how the most significant economic battle in recent history may affect energy and commodity markets.

Most Saudi petrochemical producers announced feedstock curbs of between 15 and 50pc in the immediate aftermath of the mid-September attacks on the country's oil installations. Petrochemical feedstock curbs are easing with a majority of producers announcing a full resumption of ethane to pre-attack levels. Argus Editor Muhamad Fadhil is in Saudi this week and provides an update on the feedstock situation.

After a decade of oil supply diversification across Asia, security of crude oil supply is returning with a vengeance. Attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure in mid-September temporarily shut more than half the country’s production, raising supply concerns around what had been considered the world’s most stable source of oil. Refiners across Asia are scrambling to secure cargoes to compensate for potential losses in Saudi volumes, triggering a sharp reaction in the value of these grades that best serve as replacements.

Accurate pricing signals will help in the reallocation of resources across the vast Asia-Pacific refining system. And inevitably, governments and refiners throughout the region will aim to enlarge their strategic and commercial storage as the veil of infallibility surrounding Saudi crude exports fades with the possibility of new attacks on the kingdom’s oil infrastructure.

Presented by Alejandro Barbajosa, Argus Media Vice-President, Crude, Middle East and Asia-Pacific.