Europe has seen an unprecedented increase in jet fuel shipments from the United States this April, data compiled by Kpler and LSEG indicate, as the continent attempts to replenish supplies disrupted by reduced flows from the Middle East.
The interruption in Middle Eastern deliveries stems from the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, a development that has cut off supplies on which Europe relies for roughly 75% of its jet fuel imports - about 375,000 barrels per day.
With those Middle Eastern flows constrained, European carriers have called on the European Union for emergency action, urging measures that include broad airspace closures, according to a circulated document referenced alongside the market data. The demand for contingency steps highlights the strain on aviation fuel availability and the urgency felt across the sector.
Measured by vessel discharges and shipments scheduled to arrive, U.S. inflows of jet fuel to Europe are projected to fall in the range of 149,000 to 200,000 barrels per day so far in April. Those levels constitute record highs in the accessible datasets - back to 2015 for LSEG and to 2017 for Kpler.
European rules require member states to maintain 90 days of emergency oil reserves, but that obligation does not mandate how much of those reserves must consist of specific fuel types such as jet fuel. The International Energy Agency's reporting underlines uneven national positions: Spain is identified as a net exporter of jet fuel, while Britain - the region's largest consumer of jet fuel - imports approximately 65% of its needs.
Storage readings underscore the tightening supply picture. Stocks of jet fuel held independently in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub fell last week to their lowest levels since March 2023.
The United States is already shipping jet fuel at elevated volumes. In the week ending April 3, U.S. exports of jet fuel were estimated at 442,000 barrels per day in total, roughly double the 219,000 barrels per day average recorded last year, according to data from the Energy Information Administration. While the U.S. remains the largest consumer of jet fuel globally, exporters have been able to obtain higher prices when selling into regions with pronounced shortages, including Europe and parts of Asia.
The International Energy Agency cautions that if European markets cannot secure more than half of the volumes lost from the Middle East, inventories would decline to a critical 23-day stockpile level by June. That threshold is identified as the point at which physical shortages would begin to emerge.
Implications
- Airlines and the broader aviation sector face heightened supply risk and operational pressure as import sources shift.
- Refining and storage hubs, particularly in the ARA region, are under stress as stock levels fall.
- Fuel-exporting regions such as the United States are capturing stronger pricing where shortages are most acute.