US-China deal to drive HK bunkering role
The phase one trade agreement signed between the US and China can revive Hong Kong’s standing as an international trading port, and points to its potential re-emergence as a supplier of bunker fuel
Hong Kong’s civil disturbances and the US-China trade war have led to the city losing ground to rival ports. Yet competition between Hong Kong and Singapore, which has enjoyed a long period of stability and dominates Asian bunker fuel supply, is “not a zero-sum game”, says Lawrence Brennan, a former navy captain who is a professor at Fordham University specialising in maritime law. “Both can and should survive and prosper.” Hong Kong historically prospered due to its proximity to China; close enough to attract investors seeking to capitalise on the mainland’s development yet beyond the reach of the authoritarian hand of its Communist Party. With the protesters filling the streets accusing C
Also in this section
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
