Growth in China's refined fuel exports in September amid Iran war
Agencies2 min read
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Data released on Sunday showed that China's exports of refined petroleum products jumped 39.4% year-on-year in September, as diesel exports reached their highest level in more than 3 years amid a global market shortage as the war on Iran and other conflicts curtailed production from the Middle East and Russia.
China, a major exporter of refined petroleum products in Asia, restricted exports of refined products, including diesel, gasoline, and jet fuel, in mid-March to protect domestic supplies amid risks stemming from the Middle East, before easing restrictions in mid-July.
Customs data showed that exports of refined petroleum products, which include diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, and marine fuel, rose 19% in September from the previous month to 7.16 million tons, continuing the strong growth momentum seen in August.
In the first three quarters of the year, China exported 41.4 million tons of refined petroleum products, down 3.7% year-on-year.
China's total exports of gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel reached 4.41 million tons in September, an increase of 56% from September of last year, and exceeding the monthly average of three million tons in 2025.
Jet fuel exports rose 16.7% year-on-year to 1.94 million tons in September. Total jet fuel exports in the first nine months reached 13.7 million tons, down 11% year-on-year.
Diesel exports jumped 262.3% year-on-year to 1.85 million tons in September, the highest level since February 2023. Total diesel exports in the first nine months reached 6.68 million tons, an increase of 31.6% year-on-year.
Gasoline exports recorded 620,000 tons in September, down 4.1% year-on-year. From January to September, China exported 3.04 million tons of gasoline, down 51.9% year-on-year.
The data also showed that liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports fell 1.4% year-on-year to 5.61 million tons in September. China's total LNG imports reached 44.62 million tons in the first nine months.
