The port of Ningbo-Zhoushan, in Zhejiang province south of Hangzhou Bay
China targets Singapore bunkering
Chinese tax reform will trigger a gradual shift in the bunker fuel market away from Asia’s dominant hub
The timing of a package of Chinese tax reforms will have a greater impact on the future of the Asian bunker fuel market than the new International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules on sulphur in maritime fuel that came into effect on 1 January. China applies both consumer and value-added taxes to bunker fuels, even for bonded sales. This leads blenders to import about 90pc of the blendstocks, mostly from Singapore and Malaysia. “The tax is the big game changer,” says Dr Michal Meidan, director of the China Energy Programme at Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. Chinese refiners, she says, have been lobbying for tax relief for well over a year. The IMO has banned ships from using fuels with
Also in this section
6 February 2026
The long close relationship between key supplier Qatar and pivotal buyer Japan becomes even deeper following new landmark deal
6 February 2026
Partnerships across the LNG value chain have evolved over time, growing in both complexity and importance, according to panellists at LNG2026
6 February 2026
Nigeria's mega-refinery is still trying to solve many challenges, all while its owner talks up expansion
5 February 2026
While broadly supportive of EU efforts to tackle methane emissions, representatives of the gas industry warn it could deter supply contracting if timelines and compliance requirements are not made more pragmatic
