China’s Zhoushan overtakes Fujairah to become third-largest global bunker port

In 2025, China's Zhoushan port emerged as the world's third-largest bunkering hub, surpassing Fujairah, according to a report from the ninth International Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference held in Zhoushan, Zhejiang province. The ranking revealed that Zhoushan supplied 8.54 million metric tons (mt) of marine fuel, placing it behind Singapore and Rotterdam in terms of global sales.

Singapore retained its position as the world's largest bunkering hub, with sales increasing by 3.8% year-over-year to 56.18 million mt. Rotterdam claimed the second spot with 9.36 million mt, while Antwerp-Bruges secured the fourth position at 7.62 million mt. Fujairah, however, fell to fifth place with 7.27 million mt. Notably, Zhoushan had previously held the fourth position, making its ascent to third place a significant shift in the global bunker market landscape.

The rankings indicated that Zhoushan's bonded bunker fuel sales grew by 10.1% year-over-year, while the port also supplied 515,500 mt of marine fuel to the domestic market. The 10 largest bunkering ports collectively delivered 116.7 million mt of marine fuels in 2025, marking a 3.3% year-over-year increase. This growth in bunker demand was observed despite uncertainties surrounding international trade and financial policies, as several Asian ports, including Hong Kong, Busan, and Shanghai, experienced higher bunker sales.

The rankings underscored the increasing importance of Asian bunkering markets due to shifts in global trade flows and shipping routes. Chinese companies also dominated the global marine fuel supplier market in 2025, with Chimbusco leading with 28.16 million mt of sales, followed by Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Co. at 21.27 million mt.

The combined sales of the top 10 global marine fuel suppliers amounted to 167 million mt in 2025, a 1.91% decrease compared to the previous year. Platts, a subsidiary of S&P Global Energy, assessed the price of Zhoushan-delivered 380 CST fuel oil at $843/mt on October 21, reflecting a $4.43/mt premium over benchmark FOB Singapore 380 CST fuel oil cargoes.