Most Chinese regions recorded higher crude imports in the first five months of this year, with year-on-year growth of North China highest of all, hitting 30.7%, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.
North China's crude imports were mainly boosted by more crude throughput and higher feedstock inventory of Tianjin Petrochemical after commercial production of a 10-mil-mt/yr crude distillate unit, market sources pointed out.
Dalian Customs in Northeast China saw crude imports plunge 24% year-on-year during the January- May period, because of 47-day overhaul of Dalian Wepec and 38-day turnaround of 10-mil-mt/yr CDU at Dalian Petrochemical.
East and South China were still major importers in the period, imports of which took up 29.6% and 25% of China’s total, respectively.
Ningbo, Qingdao and Hangzhou customs ranked as top three in terms of crude imports, accounting for 18.6%, 13.7% and 11% of the total, respectively.
The GAC data also showed that crude transmitted through the Sino-Russia Crude Pipeline was imported via Harbin Customs.
