Zhoushan Overtakes Fujairah to Become World's Third-Largest Bunkering Port

The Port of Zhoushan, in China's Zhejiang province, became the world's third-largest bunkering port after overtaking Fujairah, according to the ranking of the top 10 global bunkering ports for 2025, presented on October 22, 2026 during the 9th Interregional Petroleum and Natural Gas Enterprises Conference (IPEC) held in that Chinese city. Zhoushan posted annual marine fuel sales of 8.54 million metric tons, representing year-on-year growth of 9.4%.

Singapore held onto the top spot as the world's largest bunkering hub, with sales rising 3.8% year-on-year to 56.18 million metric tons. Rotterdam ranked second with 9.36 million metric tons. Zhoushan came in third, ahead of Antwerp-Bruges, which placed fourth with 7.62 million metric tons, and Fujairah, which slipped to fifth place with 7.27 million metric tons.

The milestone marks a new advance for China's largest bonded bunkering hub, which had ranked fourth in 2024. Zhoushan first entered the global top 10 in 2018, climbed to eighth place in 2019 and fifth in 2021, before reaching the podium for the first time in 2025. Since the establishment of the Zhejiang Pilot Free Trade Zone in 2017, annual bonded fuel sales have grown from approximately 1.83 million tons to 8.03 million tons in 2025, a 4.4-fold increase. Anchorage bunkering volume reached 2.85 million tons in 2025, up 19.1%, while marine biofuel sales reached about 120,000 tons. According to data presented at the conference, Zhoushan's bonded fuel sales grew 10.1% year-on-year in 2025 on a comparable basis, and the port also supplied 515,500 tons of marine fuel to the domestic market during the year.

Zhoushan is also expanding its LNG, methanol and ammonia capabilities. On October 13, the port completed what was reported as the world's first ship-to-ship green ammonia bunkering operation at the Xiushan East anchorage, supplying 1,000 tons to the ammonia-powered bulk carrier MINERAL EUROPA, operated by Belgium's CMB.TECH. Local officials reiterated during the conference their ambition to turn Zhoushan into a global hub for bonded marine fuel bunkering, built on optimal service, minimal costs and maximum efficiency, backed by favorable free trade zone policies, offshore bunkering infrastructure and digitalization.

Together, the world's 10 largest bunkering ports supplied 116.7 million metric tons in 2025, up 3.3% from the previous year, which according to the data presented reflects resilient demand for marine fuel despite uncertainties in international trade and financial policies. Zhoushan was among several Asian ports that posted higher sales during the year, along with Hong Kong, Busan and Shanghai. Among suppliers, Chimbusco led with sales of 28.16 million tons, while Sinopec Fuel Oil Sales Co. ranked third with 21.27 million tons, a 10.6% decline from 23.8 million tons the previous year; the top 10 global suppliers totaled 167 million tons, down 1.91% from 2024. In the first nine months of 2026, Zhoushan recorded a bunkering volume of 6.24 million tons, up 2.81% year-on-year, as it moves toward its target of surpassing 10 million tons in annual sales.