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Europe’s Diesel Woes Just Got Even Worse
Developing
In Short: Europe's diesel supply crunch worsens as imports drop to a record September low, with China suspending fuel exports and Russia facing constraints.
Europe's diesel supply crisis is deepening, with imports hitting a record September low, according to Vortexa, a leading maritime analytics firm.
Diesel imports into Europe last month stood at just 1 million barrels daily, a significant 600,000 barrels daily lower than the September 2025 imports.
The situation is exacerbated by China's recent ban on fuel exports and ongoing constraints on Russian supplies.
Diesel prices have surged by 40% in the European Union since the start of the year, while gasoline prices have increased by 29%, according to Euronews.
Vortexa analyst Mick Strauttman noted that diesel on the water pointing to Europe is more than 25% below last year’s levels, signaling another month of weak arrivals.
The delay in maintenance at refineries has caused some unplanned outages and could lead to more such events, impacting Europe’s domestic fuel production.
Diesel is crucial for heavy machinery, agriculture, and freight transport, making the current shortage particularly problematic.
President Trump has demanded that Germany and France release 120 million barrels of diesel from their storage or face a U.S. ban on diesel exports.
Bruegel analyst Georg Zachmann explained that decades of policy incentives, such as tax advantages, have made Europe's vehicle fleet far more diesel-heavy than regions like the U.S.
The European Central Bank (ECB) had expected diesel margins to peak in October, but with China's export ban, this prediction seems unlikely to come true.
What this adds
Diesel prices are soaring globally, not just in Europe.
France and Germany may need to release diesel from storage to avoid potential export bans by the U.S.
The current diesel crisis highlights Europe's vulnerability to fuel supply shocks due to its heavy reliance on imports.
Background
Even Worse is the fifth studio album by American parody artist "Weird Al" Yankovic, released on April 12, 1988, by Scotti Bros. Records.
What's still developing
- Trump Says South Korea Deal Includes $8.4 Billion U.S. Oil Project What I Cover Irina Slav has been writing about global energy markets since 2007, covering the oil and gas industry, energy security, commodities, and the… Europe’s diesel supply crunch is worsening, with imports hitting a record September low as China suspends fuel exports and Russian supplies remain constrained.
- Europe is running out of options to stay well supplied with a critical fuel.
- This makes import-dependent nations especially vulnerable to the kind of shock that the world is experiencing right now, and Europe is full of import-dependent nations.
- Yet diesel prices are soaring across the world, not only in Europe.
- For starters, France and Germany will need to release diesel from storage because recent history suggests Trump can and will ban diesel exports despite advice to the contrary, to teach the Europeans a lesson, as he did with tariffs.