Europe has been receiving record quantities of jet fuel from the United States as the continent attempts to offset supplies interrupted by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, according to data from Kpler and LSEG.
The closure - attributed to the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran - has interrupted flows from the Middle East, a region that provides nearly 75% of Europe's jet fuel imports, equivalent to roughly 375,000 barrels per day. In response, European carriers have pressed the European Union to consider emergency actions, including large-scale airspace restrictions, according to a document seen by Reuters.
LSEG and Kpler data indicate that U.S. deliveries to Europe are expected to reach between 149,000 and 200,000 barrels per day in April, calculated from vessels already discharged and those still scheduled to arrive. Those projected inflows represent the highest volumes recorded in LSEG data stretching back to 2015 and in Kpler records from 2017.
U.S. exports of jet fuel have surged in broader figures as well. Energy Information Administration data estimate that the United States exported about 442,000 barrels of jet fuel in the week ending April 3, roughly double the 219,000-barrel-per-week average recorded last year. Traders report that shipments destined for Europe and Asia are attracting stronger prices because of localized shortages.
At the same time, inventories in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp refining and storage hub were reported at their lowest level since March 2023 as of last week. While European Union member states must hold 90 days of emergency oil reserves, that obligation does not prescribe minimum amounts for specific fuel categories such as jet fuel.
The International Energy Agency's monthly assessment highlights divergent national positions within Europe: Spain is identified as a net exporter of jet fuel, whereas Britain - the region's largest consumer - relies on imports for around 65% of its jet fuel needs. The IEA cautioned that if European markets cannot replace more than half of the volumes lost from the Middle East, stockpiles would decline to the equivalent of a 23-day supply by June, at which point physical shortages would begin.
These developments underscore growing stress points across aviation fuel supply chains and refinery distribution hubs. Airlines, refiners, traders and governments will be tracking shipments, storage levels and price signals closely as the region adapts to the disruption in Middle Eastern flows.