European diesel
Overview
As the most consumed refined product in Europe, diesel is a fundamental source of road fuel. But without sufficient local refining capacity to cover demand, the region is dependent on imports of this critical product.
Since halting imports from Russia in February 2023, trade flows have transformed. Diesel is being imported from further afield into large ports and is then redistributed to the rest of the region, creating an export flow from the ARA hubs.
The market has transformed. Only Argus diesel prices reflect this new reality.
New price benchmarks for European diesel
Understand how the European diesel market has changed and why new price benchmarks are important.
Key prices
Argus provides independent price solutions for the new diesel trade flows in Europe
Argus diesel LR2 cif ARA captures the value of long-range 2 (LR2) diesel cargoes 90,000-100,000 tonnes of restricted origin. These cargoes from the Middle East and Asia represented over 45% of diesel imports in 2023. Argus diesel LR2 prices provide a benchmark to these volumes and bring trusted transparency to the prices of distillate flows into Europe.
Argus diesel fob ARA 30kt captures the value of 30,000 tonne cargoes on Handysize vessels leaving the northwest European hub to supply the rest of the region. This activity has increased dramatically since 2022 as LR2 cargoes are broken down to be redistributed to smaller ports and with increased loadings from local refineries. The Argus price is the first to capture this new and increasing liquidity.
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European diesel markets in 2023
Join us for this special webinar, as our team delve into the story of European diesel stocks, changing trade flows and what's happened with prices so far this year.
WebinarsUpheaval for European diesel markets in 2023
Traditionally, 50-60pc of Europe’s diesel imports came from Russia as part of term supply contracts but since the regulatory ban, this is no longer an option. Instead, alternative flows are growing in importance to address the shortage of diesel in the European market. View the forecast from our consulting team for supply and demand balances for each region.
FAQsArgus pricing solutions for non-Russian diesel cargoes coming into Europe
The European diesel market is going through one of the largest changes seen in recent years, with market participants seeking to avoid and diversify away from Russian-origin oil.