Bunkerworld: Japan’s Fuel Oil Imports up Following Quake

“Japan’s fuel oil imports have risen on the back of increased demand from domestic utilities even as demand from the bonded bunker sector has plummeted. Fuel oil imports increased 4 million barrels during the first half of 2011 compared to the corresponding period in 2010, according to Poten & Partners. Japan’s power sector burned 30.3 million barrels of residual fuel in the first eight months of the year, 26% higher than the 24.1 million last year, the shipbroker said in a report this week.”