China’s fuel oil imports recovered in June after a slump in May, while bunker fuel oil exports also climbed from the previous month, customs data showed on Sunday.

Fuel oil imports in June totalled approximately 1.4 million metric tons, or about 295,708 barrels per day (bpd), up 7% from May and but were down 6% from the same month a year earlier.

Import volumes rebounded after China’s Shandong provincial government raised fuel oil import tax rebates for some independent refineries. Demand for refinery feedstock had tapered off earlier in the year after China raised import tariffs and reduced tax rebates on fuel oil shipments.

Total imports from January to June slid 19.8% year-on-year to 9.75 million tons.

Meanwhile, exports of low-sulphur marine fuels totalled 2.32 million tons, up 88% from May and climbing 46% compared to the same month last year.
The table below shows China’s fuel oil exports and imports in metric tons.

The exports section largely captures low-sulphur oil-bunkering sales along China’s coast. The import volumes include purchases under ordinary trade, which are subject to import duties and consumption tax, as well as imports into bonded storage.

Exports (2025) Bonded storage trade m/m % change y/y % change
January 1,337,960 -1% -20%
February 1,666,864 25% 42%
March 1,753,646 5% 33%
April 1,772,478 1% 8%
May 1,236,411 -30% -26%
June 2,318,320 88% 46%
Imports (2025) Ordinary trade Bonded storage trade Total m/m % change y/y % change
January 991,690 890,684 1,882,374 -8% -13%
February 686,966 1,267,117 1,954,083 4% 36%
March 510,604 872,008 1,382,612 -29% -30%
April 553,545 1,273,856 1,827,401 32% -38%
May 406,413 895,315 1,301,728 -29% -40%
June 442,352 954,692 1,397,044 7% -6%

Source: Reuters