Japan’s May crude oil imports are expected to rebound to around 1.7 million barrels a day, roughly three-quarters of the level a year earlier, as refiners step up alternative procurement while the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed.
An oil tanker docked at an oil refinery in Yokohama, Japan. Photographer: Soichiro Koriyama/Bloomberg
A partially filled supertanker heading to Japan after receiving its Middle Eastern oil cargo via a ship transfer at sea highlights the desperate measures the nation’s refiners are taking to secure supply quickly.
The Bright Horizon (in white), is now sailing toward Japan after receiving its cargo at sea off Mumbai from Shenlong (blue) this week.
Some Japanese refiners are seeking to speed up deliveries of US crude following disruptions caused by the Iran war, opting for smaller ships that can transit the Panama Canal rather than sail around Africa.
An oil refinery in the Keihin industrial area in Yokohama, Japan.
Anmelden
