Amid the conflict in the Middle East, Singapore is transitioning to Russian fuel, with traders beginning to replace oil products from this region with Russian ones, reports the Financial Times (FT) citing data from the analytical group Vortexa, based on cargo tracking.
March Purchases
According to its estimates, imports of Russian fuel oil to Singapore sharply increased after the onset of the conflict: in April, the volume more than doubled the average monthly figure for 2025.
Imports from Russia to Singapore, which is considered the largest ship refueling port in the world, also surged in March, the publication notes. This occurred against the backdrop of rising global energy prices and shortages in certain countries due to the war between the U.S. and Israel against Iran.
Singapore has not imposed sanctions on specific Russian oil products, but local traders must comply with the price cap set by the G7 and the EU if Western companies are involved in maritime transportation, FT explains. This requirement also applies to fuel oil as an oil product.
Fighting Shortages
Imports of fuel oil from Middle Eastern countries to Singapore have significantly decreased in recent months, according to Vortexa data: shipments from Gulf countries in March and April fell to 336,000 barrels per day compared to 522,000 barrels per day in January and February. Meanwhile, imports from Russia increased from 372,000 barrels per day in January–February to 585,000 in March and April.
According to Vortexa, the level of fuel oil shipments from Russia to Singapore in April could reach a record high since 2016.
Veson Nautical, a company specializing in maritime shipping data, indicated that around 20 Russian tankers have entered anchorages associated with Singapore this year, including several that have been sanctioned by the EU and the U.S. In January–April 2025, there were only five such tankers, analysts calculated.
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