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Lootah Biofuels to collect UCO from UAE households

  • : Biofuels, Oil products
  • 25/01/28

Dubai-based biofuels producer Lootah Biofuels will launch a smart app in coming months to facilitate the collection of used cooking oil (UCO) from households and businesses in the UAE.

Lootah plans to increase and simplify the collection of UCO, which currently stands at 300,000 litres/month.

The company wants to encourage "individuals and families to actively participate in collecting and safely disposing used cooking oil at designated collection points."

Lootah Biofuels aims for the recycling of UCO to reach 80pc in the coming years, up from less than 50pc currently — largely sourced from restaurants and the hospitality sector.

Lootah Biofuels' plant is the largest in the Middle East, producing 53,000 t/yr of biodiesel, which it supplies to the local transportation and aviation market and exports to the Netherlands, the UK, Germany and India.

Lootah Biofuels signed an agreement with Malaysian biofuel feedstock supplier FatHopes Energy in 2023 to collaborate on supplying sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to Dubai's aviation sector and establishing a Malaysian used cooking oil (UCO) aggregation hub.

Bunker hopes

Bunker market participants in Fujairah, UAE, the world's third largest marine fuels centre, hope the potential production increase will boost availability of B24 — which consists of 24pc used cooking oil methyl ester (Ucome) and 76pc very low sulphur fuel oil (VLSFO).

The Fujairah bunker market has been facing competition with other industry sectors over limited supplies.

Bunkering B24 has been slow in Fujairah, with sporadic demand emerging.

"There is just one customer who periodically asks for B24, which is not always available," a Fujairah trader said.

Still, bunker sellers expect regional demand for B24 to rise later this year as shipowners prepare to meet more stringent mandates set by the EU and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

FuelEU Maritime aims to raise the share of renewable and low-carbon fuels in the fuel mix of maritime transport within the EU, and will set requirements for greenhouse gas emission reductions against a 2020 baseline level, starting with 2pc in 2025.

The EU is an important market and a regular destination for much of the maritime traffic passing through Fujairah, so the new regulations are likely to be a trigger for change, market participants said. "Many vessels refuel in Fujairah before calling at EU ports," one trader says. "They already have to comply with the EU ETS, [Carbon Intensity Index], and will need to also comply with FuelEU."

By Elshan Aliyev


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25/03/03

Trump says 'all set' on Canada, Mexico tariffs: Update

Trump says 'all set' on Canada, Mexico tariffs: Update

Updates with changes throughout Washington, 3 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump said today he will proceed with plans to impose stiff tariffs on energy and other imports from Canada and Mexico on Tuesday. "The tariffs, you know, they're all set, they go into effect tomorrow," Trump told reporters at the White House this afternoon, adding that there was "no room for a deal" to avert what would be a continent-wide trade war. Under the executive orders Trump signed a month ago, the US will impose a 10pc tax on Canadian energy imports, a 25pc tariff on non-energy imports from Canada and a 25pc tariff on all imports from Mexico. The effective date for the tariffs is 12:01am ET on Tuesday. Trump clarified that he is sticking to the same rate of tariffs set out in his executive order, after his advisers over the weekend suggested he could apply a lower rate. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent pointed to a proposal by Mexico City to match the level of tariffs Trump has leveled or is planning to impose on imports from China, as a way to avoid a trade war between the US and its neighbors. "It would be a nice gesture if the Canadians did it also, so in a way we could have 'Fortress North America' from the flood of Chinese imports," Bessent said in a televised interview. Trump ordered a 10pc tariff on all imports from China, effective on 4 February. He is threatening to double that tax on Tuesday. The rate would be in addition to all previously imposed tariffs on imports from China. Trump's announcement came just one day after US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick suggested the tariffs to be imposed on Canadian and Mexican imports might not be as high as those set out in Trump's order last month. Already vast segments of the energy industry — oil and gas producers, refiners, pipeline operators, traders — have been bracing for potentially disruptive outcomes. US independent refiners, already facing weaker margins, falling demand and regulatory uncertainty in their burgeoning renewables businesses, expect that tariffs will lead to higher feedstock costs and will cause some to reduce runs, cutting further into profits. A major European energy trading company has redirected some volumes of natural gas that were scheduled to flow across the US border into Canada to reduce the company's exposure to the threat of impending tariffs. The imposition of tariffs after decades of free trade in energy across North America is expected to create legal uncertainty in contractual obligations related to the payment of tariffs and reporting requirements. The current US import duties on crude are set at 5.25¢/bl and 10.5¢/bl, depending on crude quality. The administration has said the new tariff would be based on the value of the commodity — without specifying how that will be calculated and at what specific point during the transportation process. US government agencies are not expected to clarify the implementation details until Trump's executive order on tariffs goes into effect. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US sends mixed signals on Canada, Mexico tariffs


25/03/03
25/03/03

US sends mixed signals on Canada, Mexico tariffs

Washington, 3 March (Argus) — President Donald Trump's top economic advisers are providing conflicting guidance on the tariffs the US will impose on Canadian and Mexican imports as early as Tuesday. The effective date for the tariffs, which Trump announced via an executive order a month ago, is 12:01am ET on Tuesday. The executive order calls for imposing a 10pc tax on Canadian energy imports, a 25pc tariff on non-energy imports from Canada and a 25pc tariff on all imports from Mexico. Trump last week said that the tariffs will go into effect as planned. But US treasury secretary Scott Bessent over the weekend referenced a proposal by Mexico City to match the level of tariffs Trump has leveled or is planning to impose on imports from China, as a way to avoid a trade war between the US, Mexico and Canada. "It would be a nice gesture if the Canadians did it also, so in a way we could have ‘Fortress North America' from the flood of Chinese imports," Bessent said in a televised interview. Trump ordered a 10pc tariff on all imports from China, effective on 4 February. He is threatening to double that tax on Tuesday. The rate would be in addition to all previously imposed tariffs on imports from China. US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick, in turn, said on Sunday that the import taxes on Canada and Mexico would proceed as scheduled, but their exact levels may not be as high as set out in Trump's order last month. "There are going to be tariffs on Tuesday on Mexico and Canada," Lutnick said. "Exactly what they're going to be, I'm going to leave that for the president to decide." Trump's economic adviser Kevin Hassett separately suggested that the tariffs could go into effect at the levels Trump set, but that the White House could lower them over time if talks with Canada and Mexico on border security are successful. The Canada and Mexico tariffs are not in place yet, but vast segments of the energy industry — oil and gas producers, refiners, pipeline operators, traders — already are bracing for potentially disruptive outcomes. US independent refiners, already facing weaker margins, falling demand and regulatory uncertainty in their burgeoning renewables businesses, expect that tariffs will lead to higher feedstock costs and will cause some to reduce runs, cutting further into profits. A major European energy trading company has redirected some volumes of natural gas that were scheduled to flow across the US border into Canada to reduce the company's exposure to the threat of impending tariffs. The imposition of tariffs after decades of free trade in energy across North America is expected to create legal uncertainty in contractual obligations related to the payment of tariffs and reporting requirements. The current US import duties on crude are set at 5.25¢/bl and 10.5¢/bl, depending on crude quality. The administration has said the new tariff would be based on the value of the commodity — without specifying how that will be calculated and at what specific point during the transportation process. US government agencies are not expected to clarify the implementation details until Trump's executive order on tariffs goes into effect. By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU promises flexibility for car CO2 standards: Update


25/03/03
25/03/03

EU promises flexibility for car CO2 standards: Update

Adds reaction quote from E-Mobility in new paragraph 5. Brussels, 3 March (Argus) — European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today promised "more flexibility" on CO2 targets, balancing "predictability and fairness" for firms that have already introduced low or zero emission vehicles. Von der Leyen said the commission will stick to agreed CO2 emission reduction targets for fleets. But the commission will show "more pragmatism in these difficult times" and technology neutrality. She specifically promised a "focused" amendment to the bloc's CO2 standards regulation this month, to introduce "pragmatism" with respect to possible penalties for not complying with 2025 targets. The EU's CO2 standards for manufacturers lay down an EU-wide fleet greenhouse gas target for light passenger vehicles and vans of 93.6 g/km until 2029. That represents a 15pc reduction compared with a 2021 baseline for cars. This falls to 49.5 g/km for 2030-34, a 55pc reduction, and 0g/km from 2035. "Instead of annual compliance, companies will get three years," von der Leyen said, noting the principle of "banking and borrowing". "The targets stay the same; they have to fulfil the targets. It means more breathing space for industry and more clarity, and without changing the agreed targets," she said. The proposal for flexibility on CO2 standards will "significantly delay" Europe's electric vehicle roll-out over the next two years, industry association E-Mobility Europe secretary-general Chris Heron said. He estimated that half a million fewer electric cars could enter the EU market in 2025. "That uncertainty is bad news for investors in EU charging infrastructure, battery production, and e-mobility overall," Heron said, noting legal and competitive issues from changing the rules midway. The amendment would need to be agreed quickly by the European parliament and a qualified majority of EU member states. The EU biofuels and hydrogen industry last week expressed disappointment at a draft outline of the commission's forthcoming automotive industrial action plan, for not mentioning low and carbon neutral biofuels and hydrogen. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU promises flexibility for car CO2 standards


25/03/03
25/03/03

EU promises flexibility for car CO2 standards

Brussels, 3 March (Argus) — European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen today promised "more flexibility" on CO2 targets, balancing "predictability and fairness" for firms that have already introduced low or zero emission vehicles. Von der Leyen said the commission will stick to agreed CO2 emission reduction targets for fleets. But the commission will show "more pragmatism in these difficult times" and technology neutrality. She specifically promised a "focused" amendment to the bloc's CO2 standards regulation this month, to introduce "pragmatism" with respect to possible penalties for not complying with 2025 targets. The EU's CO2 standards for manufacturers lay down an EU-wide fleet greenhouse gas target for light passenger vehicles and vans of 93.6g/km until 2029. That represents a 15pc reduction compared with a 2021 baseline for cars. This falls to 49.5g/km for 2030-34, a 55pc reduction, and 0g/km from 2035. "Instead of annual compliance, companies will get three years," von der Leyen said, noting the principle of "banking and borrowing". "The targets stay the same; they have to fulfil the targets. It means more breathing space for industry and more clarity, and without changing the agreed targets," she said. The amendment would need to be agreed quickly by the European parliament and a qualified majority of EU member states. The EU biofuels and hydrogen industry last week expressed disappointment at a draft outline of the commission's forthcoming automotive industrial action plan, for not mentioning low and carbon neutral biofuels and hydrogen. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US refiners pin hopes on closures to boost margins


25/03/03
25/03/03

US refiners pin hopes on closures to boost margins

Houston, 3 March (Argus) — US independent refiners' fourth-quarter earnings dropped sharply as refining margins slumped, but upcoming refinery closures and a heavy spring maintenance season could bolster crack spreads later this year. The largest US refiner by capacity, Marathon Petroleum, reported a drop in its margins to $13/bl in the fourth quarter, from $18/bl in the same quarter of 2023. Its profits declined to $371mn in the quarter, from $1.5bn a year earlier. But Marathon expects margins to strengthen in the second half of this year, as announced refinery closures offset recent capacity additions, according to its chief executive Maryann Mannen. As much as 800,000 b/d of global refining capacity could be shut this year, helping to tighten the market and improve margins. Two large US refineries are scheduled to close down permanently — LyondellBasell's 264,000 b/d facility in Houston, Texas, is in the process of shutting and Phillips 66 plans to close its 139,000 b/d Los Angeles plant by the end of this year. Tightening supply is already helping to balance the market in the western US. Independent HF Sinclair says unplanned shutdowns and the start of maintenance in California are benefiting its refineries in neighbouring states that sell products to the region, including facilities in Anacortes, Washington, and Salt Lake City, Utah. California's supplies tightened after PBF Energy's 156,400 b/d Martinez refinery in the state was shut following a 1 February fire. And the market is bracing for a tighter market next year after the Phillips 66 plant closes. Phillips 66 reported a fourth-quarter loss in its refining businesses as margins narrowed. Crude refining margins fell to $6/bl in the fourth quarter, down from $14/bl a year earlier, it says. Narrower margins drove a $775mn fourth-quarter loss in its refining segment, compared with a profit of $859mn in the fourth quarter of 2023. The narrower margins partly reflected accelerated depreciation associated with the planned Los Angeles refinery shutdown. A burgeoning renewable fuels segment is offering some respite from the earnings downturn. Phillips 66's renewable fuels business made a $28mn profit in the fourth quarter, pushed up by higher margins at its Rodeo renewables plant in California and stronger international results. Valero's refining segment dropped sharply in the fourth quarter, as operating income fell to just under $440mn, from $1.6bn a year earlier. But its renewable diesel business, which includes a joint venture with Diamond Green Diesel, reported operating income of $170mn in the fourth quarter, up from $84mn in the same period a year earlier. Unclear outlook Despite the rapid growth in US renewables, the overall outlook is unclear. The prices of credits tied to US state and federal clean fuel programmes remain relatively low, cutting into margins for biofuels producers. A tax credit for biomass-based diesel blenders was replaced this year by a new subsidy that can exclusively be claimed by US producers. Companies that produce biofuels say they need more clarity from the US government on how the new tax credit works before they follow through on plans to increase production. Refiners in the US are worried about continuing to rely on government subsidies for renewables projects. US independent refiner CVR Energy intends to pause spending on its renewables business until there is more regulatory clarity in the country. "We've had all we can stand of exposure to government subsidies and it's going to take a shift change for us to really invest in it," CVR Energy chief executive David Lamp says. By Eunice Bridges Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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