China’s imports of crude oil from Russia fell 12.9% in April from a year earlier, coming in at 8.07 million metric tons or 1.96 million barrels per day, Chinese customs data showed on Tuesday.

Russian supply to China also declined 5.8% on a monthly basis, down from 2.08 million bpd in March.

Imports from Malaysia, the top trans-shipment hub for sanctioned Iranian oil, stood at 7.95 million tons in April, or 1.93 million bpd, down 6.3% from March, but up 96.9% year-on-year.

China’s total crude oil imports stood at 48.06 million tons in April, or 11.69 million bpd, lower from March but up 7.5% from a year earlier due to abundant deliveries of sanctioned shipments and as state refiners built stocks during maintenance shutdowns.

Imports from Saudi Arabia, the third-largest supplier, were down 12.8% year-on-year in April, at 5.53 million tons or 1.35 million bpd.

Customs recorded no imports from Iran and Venezuela in April.
Source: Reuters