METI Moves to Diversify Crude Oil and Naphtha Procurement　経産省、原油・ナフサの調達多角化を後押し

Long-Haul Costs for VLCCs and MR Tankers Emerge as Key Issue

VLCC・MR型の遠距離輸送、追加コスト補填が焦点

　Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) on 7 August unveiled a proposed new scheme to support the diversification of crude oil and naphtha procurement sources and transportation routes.

　The scheme would support additional transportation costs associated with imports that avoid specific chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz, with the shipping industry focusing on how far the support will extend to higher costs arising from longer-haul voyages, including bunker expenses, canal transit fees and higher freight rates associated with longer vessel employment periods.

→ METI proposes new scheme to support diversification of crude oil and naphtha procurement sources and transportation routes

■The full article covers the following topics (approximately 2,000 Japanese characters)

→ JOGMEC to support additional transportation costs arising from routes that avoid the Strait of Hormuz

→ VLCCs are commonly employed under long-term time charters, with charterers such as oil refiners generally bearing voyage costs including bunkers

→ For MR tankers, where spot and short-term contracts are also common, additional costs from longer-haul voyages could be reflected in freight rates

→ Whether Panama Canal transit fees, additional bunker costs and higher spot freight rates will also qualify for support will be a key issue

Image and Graph sources of METI

　(Please continue reading the full subscriber-only article, available in English and Japanese. The Japanese version follows the English article.)

資料提供＝経済産業省

経産省、原油・ナフサの調達多角化を後押し

VLCC・MR型の遠距離輸送、追加コスト補填が焦点

　経済産業省は7日、原油やナフサの調達先・輸送経路の多角化を後押しする新制度案を示した。ホルムズ海峡など特定のチョークポイントを経由しない輸入に伴う追加輸送費を支援する仕組みで、海運業界では遠距離航路への転換で生じるバンカー費や運河通航料、船腹拘束期間の長期化に伴う運賃上昇まで、どこまで対象となるかが焦点となる。

■記事本文では以下の内容を読むことができます（記事全文約2,000文字）

→ 経産省、原油・ナフサの調達先と輸送経路の多角化を支援する新制度案

→ ホルムズ海峡を経由しない輸送で生じる追加コストをJOGMECが支援へ

→ VLCCは長期TCが多く、バンカーなどの航海費用は用船者の石油元売りが負担するケースが中心

→ スポット・短期契約も多いMR型では、遠距離化による追加コストが運賃に反映される可能性

→ パナマ運河通航料や追加バンカー、スポット運賃上昇分まで支援対象となるかが今後の焦点

（続きは英語と日本語で書かれた有料版の本文でお読みください。日本語の記事は英文記事に続いて掲載されています）