Asia fuel oil market outlook may hinge on severity of China oil demand loss

The global fuel oil supply chain has in the recent past been impacted by tight product availability due to the war in Ukraine and the subsequent restrictions on Russian oil purchases.  The Asian fuel oil market, which accounts for roughly half of the global marine fuel demand, has been severely stretched too. One of the most harrowing incidents of fuel contamination in recent history at the world's largest bunkering hub Singapore has only exacerbated the tight supply situation. Not surprisingly then, the Asian fuel oil market participants have been closely monitoring the evolving demand-supply dynamic in China, a major producer-supplier of marine fuel. They are tracking not only the impact from oil demand loss, but also, how it may potentially sway the government's decision on the timing and quantum of the second round of fuel oil export quota. In this podcast, S&P; Global Commodity Insights' Rajesh Nair, Atsuko Kawasaki and Zhuwei Wang discuss the various scenarios that are likely to play out and its impact on the Asian fuel oil market.