Northwest European diesel barge refining margins ended the week about 3% lower at $17.60 a barrel on Friday amid slowing demand and high imports.

Five barges traded in the afternoon window, with Litasco, Shell and TotalEnergies selling to Gunvor and Vitol.

EU and UK diesel and gasoil imports are on track to reach 1.18 million barrels per day this month, Kpler data showed, broadly steady from April levels.

Gasoil stocks held in independent storage in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub fell by 2% during the week to May 23, data from Dutch consultancy Insights Global showed.

Indian refiners’ use of crude oil vessels to ship refined fuels such as diesel to key European markets diminished in May after volumes neared two-year highs last month, trade sources and analysts said.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Ahmad Ghaddar, Editing by Chris Reese)