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China's March crude imports slip 6% however rise somewhat in Q1

China's crude oil imports in March fell from high levels a year earlier however stayed strong amid a rise in Russian shipments, official data showed on Friday.

Crude imports in March totalled 49.05 million metric tons, or about 11.55 million barrels daily (bpd), information from the General Administration of Customs showed.

That represented a 6.23% reduction from the relatively high 12.3 million bpd imported in March 2023, when fuel demand surged in the wake of China's exit from severe COVID-19 restrictions.

Overall crude imports for the very first quarter stood at 137.4 million heaps, a 0.7% increase from in 2015's first quarter figure of 136.3 million lots.

Seaborne imports of Russian crude were expected to reach a. record high of 1.816 million bpd in March, according to information. from consultancy Kpler, as both state-owned and private refiners. purchased seven tankers of sanctioned Sokol fuel over the. course of the month.

March's very high Russian imports are likely a one off. on the back of uncommonly high Far East Sokol arrivals, and the. momentum is most likely concerning an end as Russia is cutting. unrefined exports, said Emma Li, an analyst at Vortexa in. Singapore.

Chinese refiners will require to press some CPP (tidy. petroleum product) barrels into exports ... when domestic demand. is not very strong, Li added.

While China's home crisis has been a significant headwind for. the wider economy and demand for diesel, manufacturing. activity has actually surprised to the benefit. The main manufacturing. acquiring managers' index (PMI) in March broadened for the first. time in six months buoyed by greater export orders.

Domestic flight capability in March increased around 1.4% over the. same duration in 2015, with growth in jet fuel demand stimulated. by a roughly 90% boost in international flight capability on. 2023, data from analytics firm OAG showed.

Stimulated by plunging international LNG prices, total gas. imports, consisting of piped gas and melted gas (LNG),. for the very first quarter were at the greatest level on record,. records showed, totalling 32.9 million loads.

Natural gas imports for March rose 21.1% from a year previously. to 10.76 million loads, the information showed.

Rates of LNG for Asia << LNG-AS > at the end of March were. down 26.9% on the very same period in 2015, and down 47% from their. peak in October 2023.

Customs data also revealed exports of refined oil items,. which include diesel, fuel, aviation fuel and marine fuel,. were up 9.4% from a year previously at 6.02 million lots.

(source: Reuters)