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S. Korea's March diesel deliveries to Singapore set to hit 2-1/2- year high

South Korean diesel deliveries to Singapore for March are on track to strike 21/2year highs, with freights most likely to be kept briefly or mixed in Asia's oil hub in a rare relocation as traders have a hard time to discover endusers for the fuel, experts and traders said.

Rising supplies from the region's leading diesel exporter will contribute to stocks in Singapore, which hit a 2-1/2- year high last week, topping prices and refiners' margins in Asia, they said, regardless of expectations of lower exports from Russia following Ukrainian drone attacks on its refineries.

South Korean diesel shipments to Singapore are anticipated to hit 403,000-417,000 metric tons (3 million to 3.11 million barrels) for March filling, the highest considering that September 2021, extending gains since the start of the year, Kpler and LSEG information showed.

The wave of exports is led by French oil significant TotalEnergies and global traders Trafigura and Vitol, shiptracking data revealed.

It comes as South Korea's exports to other crucial destinations such as Australia dipped around 25% month on month, tracking a. consistent decline since January, Kpler and LSEG shiptracking data. revealed. South Korea's oil majors typically can offer to direct. end-users without traders in between.

Asia's demand (is) not fantastic to begin with, so diesel. barrels have limited outlets, LSEG Oil Research analysts said. in an e-mail, adding that high freight expenses are likewise discouraging. traders from sending out cargoes beyond Asia.

South Korean diesel shipments to the Americas in. February and March likewise dipped after hitting multi-year highs in. January, Kpler and LSEG shiptracking data revealed.

In Australia, South Korea's diesel market share shrank after. Taiwan's exports to Australia likely increased by 25% month-on-month. in March, Kpler data showed, led by deliveries from significant traders. Glencore and Vitol.

Most of our spot sales in the previous couple of months have been. heading to Australia, an essential Taiwanese refiner source stated.

A multitude of Taiwan-origin spot freights were earlier readily available. for both February and March offered fewer term deliveries this. year compared with 2023 and greater refinery pursue the. maintenance season, and this might have led to the. competition with South Korean barrels, one source said.

The downturn in demand for South Korean diesel has actually expanded. area discounts to above $1.50 a barrel for cargoes loading in. April, traders stated.

Costs for shipping 40,000 lots of diesel from South Korea to. Singapore onboard an MR-sized tanker have dipped to a two-month. low of around $875,000, information from shipbroker SSY revealed,. encouraging traders to move the affordable barrels to store at. the Asia oil center.

Meanwhile, Asian refiners' gasoil margins have balanced $24. a barrel in the very first quarter, below $24.80 in the previous. quarter.