USAC-Born Exports reaching new heights

A recent uptick on the US Atlantic coast refinery usage has led to an increase in cargoes loading out of the region. Owners discharging gasoline from Europe or Caribbean Jet fuel would historically ballast back to Europe, or sought a backhaul cargo out of the US Gulf. But as US domestic crude production continues to disrupt clean product trades, a new trend is emerging; an increase in exports from the US Atlantic coast. The US Atlantic coast remains a niche export market, with a nominal refinery capacity of around 900,000 bl/d vs 9.2 mn bl/d in PADD 3. But even with this modest capacity, a good month can see ten additional cargoes loading from the region during the early spring to late summer. In May and June of 2013 a total of 50 cargoes loaded in this two month period, verses 26 cargoes during the same period in 2012. Download here