Europe facing jet fuel crunch sees record inflows from US, Nigeria

LONDON, April 15 (Reuters) – Europe is seeing record inflows of jet fuel from the United States and Nigeria, data from Kpler and LSEG showed, as it seeks to shore up supplies due to disrupted imports from the Gulf.

Europe formerly depended on the Gulf for nearly 75% of its jet fuel imports, or around 375,000 barrels per day (bpd), but the Iran war has effective closed off tanker traffic seeking to exit via the Strait of Hormuz.

European airlines have urged the European Union to step in with emergency measures, including widespread ​airspace closures, as per a document ‌seen by Reuters.

U.S. supply looks set to reach between 149,000 to 200,000 bpd so far in April, based on vessels discharged and those still due, a record high according to data going as far back as 2015 on LSEG and 2017 on Kpler.

April imports from Nigeria were around 66,000 bpd so far, data from both sources showed. That is also the highest on record and highlights the country’s growing role as a swing supplier of aviation fuel since the launch of the Dangote refinery, Africa’s largest, in 2024.

An EU requirement stating countries must maintain 90 days of emergency oil reserves does not stipulate levels for specific fuels.

Spain is a net exporter of jet fuel, while Britain, the region’s largest consumer, imports 65% of its demand, International Energy Agency (IEA) data shows.

Levels of jet fuel fell to their lowest since March 2023 last week at the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp storage hub, data on held independently held stocks showed. [ARA/]

The United States is, however, already exporting at record highs. In the week ending April 3, the U.S. exported an estimated 442,000 barrels of jet fuel, double the 219,000 barrel average seen last year, Energy Information Administration data showed.

Nigeria was also exporting at record levels, with 416,000 bpd of products exported so far this month.

While the U.S. is the top consumer of jet fuel, exports to regions worse off such as Europe and Asia were fetching better prices.

However, Nigerian airlines on Thursday said they would suspend all flight ​operations from April 20 unless jet fuel prices were reduced, noting about a 270% jump since February.

The IEA’s latest monthly report stated that if European markets were unable to secure more than 50% of the volumes lost from the Gulf, stocks would hit a crucial 23-day stockpile level in June, a level at which physical shortages would begin.

(Reporting by Seher Dareen in London, additional reporting by Isaac Anyaogu in Lagos; Editing by Aurora Ellis, Alex Lawler and Jason Neely)