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Some EU countries put hold on AstraZeneca vaccine

  • Market: Agriculture, Biofuels, Chemicals, Coal, Coking coal, Condensate, Crude oil, Electricity, Emissions, Feedgrade minerals, Fertilizers, Hydrogen, LPG, Metals, Natural gas, Oil products, Petrochemicals, Petroleum coke
  • 15/03/21

Some EU member states have temporarily halted distribution of the AstraZeneca/Oxford University (AZ/OU) Covid-19 vaccine, citing thrombotic side-effects.

The halt, even if it is temporary, could threaten any revival in demand for energy products that would come from eased restrictions on mobility and commerce. That in turn could have a knock-on effect for prices, which have risen sharply since the roll-out of vaccines began. The EU is already lagging some other developed regions in its administration of vaccines, including the UK and the US.

The Dutch government paused distribution of the AZ/OU yesterday, expressing concerns about reported cases of post-vaccine thrombosis. It will not administer the vaccine until 28 March. Germany and Italy followed suit today.

AstraZeneca said that as of 8 March there have been 15 events of deep-vein thrombosis and 22 events of pulmonary embolism reported among the 17mn people given its vaccine in the EU and UK, which it said "is much lower than would be expected to occur naturally in a general population of this size".


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India's IPL outlines ports for urea tender awards


15/11/24
News
15/11/24

India's IPL outlines ports for urea tender awards

Amsterdam, 15 November (Argus) — Indian fertilizer importer and producer IPL has allocated ports to suppliers for awards under its 11 November tender, which saw the firm buy 1.03mn t of urea for the west coast. IPL issued letters of intent to agreed suppliers for just over 1mn t at $362/t cfr west coast in the evening of 14 November . The breakdown of the awards by supplier and port are detailed in the table below. IPL requested loading by 25 December. Middle East producers are set to dominate supply and will likely end up accounting for half of the tonnage, with netbacks equating to around the high $340s/t fob. Russian tonnage amounts to 200,000t so far at $305-310/t fob Baltic, while Malaysia's Petronas could account for around 100,000t. Nigeria's Indorama will load a total of three urea vessels to IPL next month — one directly and two for trading firms, following one cargo to RCF under the previous Indian urea tender. Nigerian urea moving eastwards highlights the comparative weakness in the Americas. This trend was further underscored by Egypt's Abu Qir also opting to support a trading firm with a prilled urea vessel under this latest tender. By Harry Minihan IPL 11 November urea tender port allocations Supplier Quantity (t) Discharge port Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Mundra Samsung 45,000 Kandla Samsung 45,000 Kandla Sun International 50,000 Mundra Indorama 46,000 Kandla Ameropa 47,150 Pipavav Agrifields 40,000 New Mangalore Agrifields 30,000 New Mangalore Aditya Birla Global Trading 55,000 Mundra Aditya Birla Global Trading 42,000 Mundra Aditya Birla Global Trading 50,000 Pipavav Aditya Birla Global Trading 50,000 Adani Tuna Koch 47,500 Kandla ETG 50,000 Adani Tuna Hexagon 47,000 Pipavav Midgulf 38,800 Rozy Midgulf 46,000 Mundra Fertistream 31,500 Jaigarh Keytrade 42,000 Rozy Fertiglobe 45,000 Dahej Fertiglobe 45,000 Hazira West coast total 1,027,950 — Market sources Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Cop: Chile to submit updated NDC after deadline


15/11/24
News
15/11/24

Cop: Chile to submit updated NDC after deadline

Singapore, 15 November (Argus) — Chile will not submit its nationally determined contribution (NDC) — emissions reduction plan — for 2035 by the February deadline set by the UN climate body the UNFCCC, but in the middle of next year, the country's environment minister Maisa Rojas told Argus at the UN Cop 29 climate summit today. Rojas said that this is because the country wants to make sure that its updated NDC is "strong". Cop parties are expected to submit their NDCs in November-February, as part of a cycle that requires countries to "ratchet up" their commitments every five years. Chile last updated its emission pledge under its NDC at Cop 27, in Egypt, in 2022. The country committed to to carbon neutrality by 2050 and peaking of all greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2025. Its carbon neutrality goal is legally binding as it is part of its climate law. Chile is not the only one facing challenges in providing updated 2035 target, with southeast Asian nations also flagging headwinds . Host country Azerbaijan also pointed to the "difficulties of developing ambitious NDCs" earlier this year . The IEA at the start of this year indicated that ahead of the next round of NDCs, it had received "several requests" from countries asking for help on data, analysis and policy advice, and that the agency would provide some support. Earlier this week, Chile, alongside Germany, launched a global management platform aimed at providing emerging and developing countries with access to international technical and financial resources to reduce carbon emissions, including assistance to incorporate industrial decarbonisation into the design of NDCs. Rojas today also announced that some Latin American countries, including Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Chile will work towards including methane emission reduction in the waste management sector in their new NDCs, in line with the global methane pledge. Brazil on 13 November announced the country aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 67pc by 2035, compared with 2005 levels. By Tng Yong Li and Jacqueline Echevarria Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Cop: Climate summits need reform, former UN chief says


15/11/24
News
15/11/24

Cop: Climate summits need reform, former UN chief says

Singapore, 15 November (Argus) — Climate advocates including former UN secretary general Ban Ki Moon today submitted an open letter to the UN calling for a reform of the Cop climate change summit as it has failed to deliver change at the speed and scale required. Signatories also include former executive secretary of the UN climate body the UNFCCC Christiana Figueres, and former president of Ireland Mary Robinson. They suggested excluding countries that do not support the "phase-out/transition away" from fossil fuel energy. The president of Cop 29 host country Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev drew criticism after stating earlier this week that oil and gas is a "gift of god" . Several media organisations reported earlier today that the letter mentioned the Cop system was not "fit for purpose". The phrase is not included the latest version. "It has become clear that constructive, supportive ideas developed some time ago on the international climate negotiations have been misinterpreted in today's context," Figueres said. She added that the Cop process was an essential and irreplaceable vehicle for supporting the change that is urgently needed. Other suggestions from the signatories include streamlining Cop summits for speed and scale. "We need a shift from negotiation to implementation, enabling the Cop to deliver on agreed commitments and ensure the urgent energy transition and phase-out of fossil energy," stated the letter, whose signatories also The Cop process should also be strengthened with mechanisms to enforce accountability, such as enhanced reporting and benchmarking, independent scientific oversight and transparent tracking of pledges and action. The letter also pointed out that a record number of 2,456 fossil fuel lobbyists were allowed to attend Cop 28, almost four times more than Cop 27. "The fact that there were far more fossil fuel lobbyists than official representatives from scientific institutions, indigenous communities and vulnerable nations reflects a systemic imbalance in Cop representation." Other concerns include the necessity for more robust tracking of climate financing as well as climate Cops not sufficiently integrating latest scientific evidence. There is no permanent scientific advisory body that is a formal part of the Cop structure. This year's Cop has been plagued by diplomatic issues and poorer attendance by heads of state, including from G7 countries, compared with previous years. Papua New Guinea prime minister James Marape pulled out of Cop 29 just before the summit and has sent a streamlined delegation this year, complaining about the lack of global commitment, especially from "large industrial countries" to rainforest conservation. French energy minister Agnes Pannier-Rauncher on 13 November cancelled her planned visit to the summit, because of what she called host Azerbaijan's "unacceptable remarks" on France and Europe. French negotiating teams will work as usual at the conference, but this week marked the first time that the French president was not represented in high-level meetings since the Cop 21 conference in Paris in 2015. Argentina also on 13 November withdrew its delegation from the summit, with the country's foreign affairs ministry confirming that the delegation had been told to leave the event. No reason was given for this, but it was in line with the general policies of president Javier Milei, who has expressed skepticism about climate change. Cop 29 lead negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev on 15 November acknowledged that "the multilateral process is under pressure" and faces "challenges and external complexities" but said the presidency considers Cop 29 a "litmus test for the global climate architecture". "Parties have to come together," he said. By Prethika Nair and Tng Yong Li Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

News

Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows


15/11/24
News
15/11/24

Adv Fame marine blend premiums to fossil hit year lows

London, 15 November (Argus) — The premiums of advanced fatty acid methyl ester (Fame) 0 ARA marine biodiesel blends to fossil fuel counterparts were marked at 2024 lows on 14 November, according to Argus assessments. Calculated B30 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA prices fell by $31.54/t to $623.25/t, the lowest since March 2023. Calculated B100 Advanced Fame 0 dob ARA values tumbled by $102.77/t to just over $820/t, their lowest since 22 November last year. Consequently, the outright premium held by the B30 blend against very-low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO) dob ARA narrowed by $30.54/t on the day to $123.25/t on 14 November — its narrowest since 29 December 2023. B100 held a $158.52/t premium to marine gasoil (MGO) dob ARA, down by $106.77/t on the day and its lowest premium this year. EU emissions trading system (ETS) prices were assessed at $71.79/t on 14 November. Accounting for EU ETS costs on the same day, ETS-inclusive premiums held by Advanced Fame blends against their fossil counterparts hit their lowest since the introduction of EU ETS into maritime at the turn of the year. B30 Advanced Fame 0's ETS-incorporated premium against VLSFO narrowed by $31.27/t to $96.11/t on the day to 14 November. B100 Advanced Fame 0's premium against MGO dropped by $109.28/t to $66.45/t when ETS costs were accounted for. Advanced Fame marine biodiesel blend values declined with thin spot demand owing to a shift in voluntary demand east of Suez. As a result, containerships seeking to deliver proof of sustainability (PoS) documentation to their customers, to offset the latter's scope 3 emissions, shifted their marine biodiesel demand to Singapore when feasible. PoS can be obtained on a mass-balance system, allowing shipowners flexibility with regards to the port at which a blend can be bunkered. Lacklustre demand for the blends was complimented by soaring values for Dutch renewable tickets. The calculated Advanced Fame dob ARA range prices incorporate a deduction for HBE-Gs. These are a class of Dutch renewable fuels units, or HBEs, used by companies that bring liquid or gaseous fossil fuels into general circulation and are obligated to pay excise duty/energy tax on fuels. Dutch renewable HBE-G tickets were marked at €22/GJ on 14 November, their highest since Argus assessments began. Soaring HBE-G values were attributed](https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2628738) to gains in European hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) prices, tight supply because of a decline in tickets from biofuels used in shipping and less overall biofuel blending in the fourth quarter. By Hussein Al-Khalisy Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2024. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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