In July, the country’s imports of petroleum decreased by 41.7 per cent in quantity and 41.8 per cent in value month – on – month to 820,439 tons worth of $558.08 million. The figure was down by 30.6 per cent in quantity and 4.7 per cent in value compared with the same month of last year.

The average petroleum import price was at $680.2 per ton in July and $661.5 per ton in the first seven months of this year.

Malaysia was the country’s biggest petroleum import markets in the first seven months of this year with 2.23 million tons worth of $1.38 billion, increased by 49.3 per cent in quantity and 102.3 per cent in value compared with the same period last year, and accounted for 28.6 per cent of the total.

South Korea followed with 1.97 million tons worth of $1.42 billion, up by 14.5 per cent in quantity and 37.5 per cent in value year – on – year; Singapore – 1.81 million tons worth of $1.15 billion, down by 40.8 per cent in quantity and 22.7 per cent in value; China – 895,197 tons, up by 48.5 per cent; Thailand – 619,739 tons, up by 9.2 per cent; Russia – 60,361 tons, up by 144.3 per cent; and Hong Kong (CN) – 102 tons.  

In the first seven months of this year, Vietnam’s imports of petroleum from Russia increased sharply by 144.3 per cent in quantity and 262.8 per cent in value to 60,361 tons worth of $51.24 million. Meanwhile, the imports of petroleum from Malaysia, China, Thailand, and South Korea also increased by 102.3 per cent; 99.2 per cent; 45.7 per cent; and 37.5 per cent over the same period last year.