HVO output supports rising Spanish UCO, Pome imports

: Agriculture, Biofuels, Oil products
25/01/22

Spanish imports of palm oil mill effluent (Pome) and used cooking oil (UCO) rose on the year in November, supported by EU tariffs on Chinese biodiesel (Ucome) and increased domestic production of hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO).

According to customs data Spain imported 720,000t of UCO in January-November, higher by 50pc on the year. Imports in November were over 55,000t, down from 90,000t on the month but up by 24pc compared with November 2023.

UCO imports have been supported as domestic producers reported good margins in October-November, but also as EU tariffs have sharply cut imports of Chinese Ucome. In addition a rising volume of UCO cargoes have been headed to Cartagena, where integrated oil firm Repsol started up a 250,000 t/yr HVO unit in the first half of 2024. The Spanish customs office issues more detailed data around a month after its import-export figures. This shows 125,000t of UCO unloaded at Cartagena in January-October, up sharply from 35,000t a year earlier.

According to Kpler data cargoes of UCO have continued to arrive from China and Malaysia this year at a good pace. This includes at least 15,000t delivered to Cartagena, 25,000t delivered to Huelva and 35,000t to Ferrol, where biodiesel producer Musim Mas has a 300,000 t/yr unit.

Spain's Pome imports under the CN code 15220099 are also up, by 17pc on the year to nearly 280,000t in January-November. Imports were particularly strong in February-August, weakening slightly after that. November imports of 20,000t were up from 15,000t on the month, but down by 24pc on the year. Most of these imports head to Huelva's Decal terminal, for domestic distribution.

Imports of palm fatty acid distillates (Pfad) were 140,000t, up by 2.9pc on the year, but imports of palm oil are now particularly low. Industrial palm oil imports were 1,500t in November, down from 40,000t on the year and a multi-year low (see chart). Imports of industrial palm oil were 295,000t in the first 11 months of last year, under half the 660,000t in January-November 2023.

By Adam Porter

Spain biofuels feedstock imports 000t

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25/03/03

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25/03/03

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25/03/03

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25/03/03

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