China orders immediate ban on March fuel exports, sources say

China is the world’s biggest oil importer and a major fuel exporter. Read more at straitstimes.com.

SINGAPORE - China has ordered an immediate ban on refined fuel exports in March in a further step to pre-empt a potential domestic fuel shortage caused by the US-Israeli war on Iran, four sources with knowledge of the matter said on March 12.

The ban, issued by the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), includes shipments of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, the sources said.

The halt applies to cargoes that had yet to clear customs as of March 11. The restriction on outbound flows goes beyond last week’s move by Beijing urging refiners not to agree to new exports and to try to cancel shipments they had already committed to.

Jet fuel for aviation bunkering is not included under the ban, two of the four sources said.

The NDRC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China is the world’s biggest oil importer and a major fuel exporter.