Two sources and shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group and Kpler told Reuters on Tuesday that Unipec, the trading arm of China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec), is moving a supertanker loaded with crude from Libya’s Abu Attifel field, an unusually large shipment aimed at meeting demand in southeastern… Asia according to.
The two sources stated that Libyan crude is usually sold to European refineries due to its proximity to OPEC member states, and it is rare to send such a large quantity in a giant tanker to Asian customers.
Data from the London Stock Exchange Group and an intermediary shipping services company showed that Unipec chartered in January the giant crude oil tanker Cyan Nova for between $8.75 million and $9.75 million to load crude from Malta to Singapore or China in February.
Kepler data also showed that Cyan Nova loaded Abu Attifel crude from tankers Calypso, Rafa, and Green Azure.
The data revealed that shipments were loaded into the three smaller tankers in Libya in February
One source told Reuters that it is not easy to arrange three shipments.
The source expected that Cyan Nova would take the Cape of Good Hope route and unload its shipments in Asia in May.
Shipping data from the London Stock Exchange Group showed that the ship is currently heading to Gibraltar, where ships usually refuel before taking the longer route to Asia.
The source confirmed to Reuters that Unipec has since sold 1 million barrels of oil to a refinery in Vietnam for delivery in May and another 400,000 barrels to Thai refiner Bangchak Petroleum.
It is unclear whether the remaining 500,000 barrels have been sold.
