Bitumen / Asphalt
Overview
Global bitumen and asphalt spot prices are influenced by changing supply and demand fundamentals, VGO and crude prices. Argus is the only provider of global bitumen and asphalt spot prices assessed by a global team of reporters, based on market trade. Spot price coverage includes regional truck, rail and seaborne prices.
Latest bitumen / asphalt news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global bitumen and asphalt industry.
New Zealand JV starts building 10,000t bitumen terminal
New Zealand JV starts building 10,000t bitumen terminal
Singapore, 12 September (Argus) — Construction of a 10,000t bitumen terminal at Mardsen Point, New Zealand, started today, according to a press release by fuel import terminal operator Channel Infrastructure. The facility in New Zealand's Northland region is expected to come on line in the second half of 2026. The site will include vessel offloading infrastructure, bulk storage tanks, and a truck loading facility. The NZ$17mn–21mn ($10.1mn–12.6mn) project is a joint development between New Zealand construction firm Higgins Contractors and Channel Infrastructure, the country's largest fuel import terminal operator that stores and distributes nearly half of the nation's fuel. Site preparation works, including demolition of redundant infrastructure and upgrades to site access roads for heavy tankers, have already been completed, the firms said. The terminal is set to improve supply chain efficiency and security for bitumen distribution across the upper North Island, including Auckland. It is expected to reduce reliance on existing bitumen import terminals at Napier and Tauranga ports, which are further away, market participants said. "This terminal will enable us to supply enough bitumen to meet the infrastructure needs of Auckland and the upper North Island. It will also provide much-needed supply chain resilience for bitumen importation across the wider industry," Higgins Contractors said. Once completed, the terminal is expected to achieve significant cost and time savings for major construction projects and contribute to the New Zealand government's national infrastructure programmes. New Zealand's bitumen demand has been week for the past 3-4 months because of the ongoing winter season, when the weather curbs road paving activities. But the post-winter construction season is set to start in October, which will support demand for the rest of the year, market participants said. By Chloe Choo Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Nantes bitumen terminal jetty sustains damage
Nantes bitumen terminal jetty sustains damage
London, 29 August (Argus) — The Nantes bitumen import terminal on the French Atlantic coast has sustained minor jetty damage, although cargo delivery operations are unaffected, an official at operator Chane Terminal said today. The official said the facility's only bitumen jetty, which is part of a 27,000t capacity terminal also storing chemicals and vegetable oils, had been damaged, but would not comment on information from French bitumen market participants that it had been caused by a tanker hitting the jetty. He said an alternative and workable method is being used to unload bitumen cargoes, approved by Nantes harbour authorities, meaning there had been no operational effects. Spanish's integrated Repsol and Moeve have been supplying bitumen cargoes to Chane Terminal facilities at Nantes and Bayonne respectively since striking exclusive throughput deals that took effect early this year. That followed Shell's decision to pull out of throughput deals into the terminals with effect from the end of 2024. Market participants said Repsol's cargo deliveries into Nantes could be affected by the jetty issue, with a shipping participant pointing out the 5,897dwt Action , operated under time charter by Repsol, and the 6,115dwt Ping Hai Wan had both been sitting at the Repsol-Moeve joint venture Asesa bitumen-producing refinery at Tarragona without carrying out loading operations there since 21-22 August. According to vessel analysis firm Kpler, the last bitumen tanker to have arrived at Nantes to make a cargo delivery was the Ping Hai Wan on 9 August with a cargo loaded at Repsol's Petronor refinery export terminal at Bilbao on the Spanish Atlantic coast. By Keyvan Hedvat Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Nynas swings to 2Q loss despite rise in bitumen sales
Nynas swings to 2Q loss despite rise in bitumen sales
London, 28 August (Argus) — Swedish speciality refiner Nynas swung to a loss in the second quarter, as currency effects and lower oil prices offset higher bitumen sales. The company reported a loss of 245mn Swedish kronor ($26mn) for April–June, compared with a SKr63mn profit in the same period last year. Pre-tax operating profit fell to SKr57mn from SKr148mn. Nynas said the results were hit by a stronger Swedish krona, which reduced the value of dollar-denominated sales, and by lower oil prices following the announcement of US tariffs in early April. This was partly offset by an increase in bitumen sales volumes to 440,000t in the second quarter, from 405,000t in the same period last year, supported by the return of the Gothenburg refinery from maintenance in March. Sales of polymer-modified bitumen (PMB) rose by 28pc, driven by increased road authority spending in Scandinavia. The Swedish government is expected to ramp up infrastructure investment , which could further boost bitumen demand. A regional market participant told Argus that Nynas is producing around 500,000 t/yr of bitumen at its Nynashamn refinery. The firm also jointly operates the UK's only bitumen-producing refinery at Eastham with Shell. Nynas' naphthenic base oil sales rose by 4pc to 112,000t, mainly due to growth in southeast Asia and South Africa. By Navneet Vyasan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Bitumen heads Asia-South Africa for first time in 2025
Bitumen heads Asia-South Africa for first time in 2025
Mumbai, 22 August (Argus) — A cargo of bitumen has left Singapore for South Africa for the first time this year, because of a lack of availability from key Middle East and south Asian exporting regions. The 5,261dwt Bitumen Kosei loaded a 4,700-4,800t cargo earlier this week from Bukom and is scheduled to discharge in Durban in early September, data from trade analytics firms Vortexa and Kpler show. The cargo was purchased at a formula price basis Argus fob Singapore ABX 1, but further details were unavailable. South Africa mainly imports bitumen cargoes from the eastern Mediterranean, and from the Mideast Gulf and Pakistan. But supply from two of these sources, Bahrain and Pakistan, have been halted for several months. With Saudi Arabian cargo exports likely to be unavailable for the rest of 2025, Singapore has become an alternative. Although Singapore fob cargo prices are much higher than Middle East origin cargoes, and Singapore to Durban bulk tanker freight rates are significantly above those for Mideast to Durban routes, some market participants see the economics working for Singapore to South Africa. Argus assessed weekly fob Singapore ABX 1 at $430.50/t on 15 August, and listed seaborne prices from Bahrain were $400/t fob Sitra. Iranian cargo export prices are $297.40-307/t fob Bandar Abbas. Bahrain's state-controlled Bapco temporarily paused seaborne exports from June because of a planned turnaround and final phase of a major upgrading project at its 267,000 b/d Sitra refinery. Many market participants expect there to be little or no cargo export availability from Sitra, certainly for South Africa, with Bapco focusing on truck flows while bitumen production capacity is reduced. Pakistani exports, usually 6,000t cargoes of pen 60/70 bitumen sold through tenders by the country's National Refineries (NRL) for loading in Karachi, have been paused since April in response to stronger domestic demand. Some Middle East supplies, probably Iranian, continue to move to South Africa. But recent US sanctions have paused some of these. The 6,920dwt, Panama-flagged Xante was scheduled to discharge a Middle East-origin cargo in Durban by mid-August, but had to turn back after it appeared on a US sanctions list on 30 July. Its sister vessel, the 7,226dwt Ianthe , was also named by US authorities. Bitumen production at Natref's 107,000 b/d Sasolburg refinery in South Africa will cease from September, ending the country's output . This will trigger more import requirements, on top of those prompted by enhanced government infrastructure budgets. The Bitumen Kosei is the second tanker to have been loaded this year in Asia-Pacific for shipment to sub-Saharan Africa. The 5,927dwt White Sky arrived in Lagos, Nigeria, with a 4,900-5,300t cargo from Bukom earlier in August. By Sathya Narayanan and Keyvan Hedvat Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Spotlight content
Browse the latest thought leadership produced by our global team of experts.
Twists and turns in the route to decarbonise UK roads
Podcast - 07/10/24Asphalt Story: A View of the Asia and Middle East Markets
Video - 24/07/24European Bitumen Market Update July 2024
An overview of European Bitumen prices since the beginning of the year and a round-up of key events that have impacted the market.
Explore our bitumen / asphalt products
Key price assessments
Argus prices are recognised by the market as trusted and reliable indicators of the real market value. Explore some of our most widely used and relevant price assessments.
