As we move through the first week of June, the overall picture for New Zealand's fuel supply remains stable, with regular coastal distribution continuing and several significant international fuel tankers arriving at key ports.
While there are some positive signs emerging, there are also a few areas that deserve ongoing monitoring.
The Good News
The biggest positive this week was activity at Marsden Point.
Two international product tankers arrived during the week:
- PS Sydney from Daesan, South Korea
- TP Endurance from Anegasaki, Japan
The arrival of multiple international fuel carriers in the same week is generally a reassuring sign. It indicates that import supply chains remain active and that replenishment cargoes are continuing to flow into New Zealand.
Marsden Point remains the country's primary fuel import gateway and these arrivals help underpin national fuel availability for the weeks ahead.
Further south, the coastal tanker fleet remained active:
- Chang Hang Fei Yue distributed product from Marsden Point through Lyttelton and Timaru.
- Chang Hang Kai Tuo moved product through Nelson and Tauranga.
- Hafnia Falcon and Hafnia Mikala continued transfers between Bluff, Wellington and Nelson.
- Stena Convoy completed deliveries into Wellington and New Plymouth before departing for Singapore.
This pattern suggests the domestic distribution network is functioning normally and fuel is continuing to move through the country.
South Island Activity Picks Up
The South Island saw noticeably more tanker activity than in previous weeks.
Lyttelton received:
- Chang Hang Fei Yue from Marsden Point
- Esteem Houston from Singapore
Timaru also received Chang Hang Fei Yue and later Pacific Sunstone was scheduled to arrive from Papeete.
These movements indicate that fuel stocks are being replenished through multiple South Island ports rather than relying solely on one distribution point.
From a resilience perspective, that's encouraging.
Ports That Remain Quiet
Not every region has seen activity.
Napier reported no fuel shipping movements throughout the entire week.
Dunedin has now gone more than a week without a recorded fuel vessel movement.
New Plymouth only received a brief visit from Stena Convoy before returning to inactivity.
A lack of vessel movements does not automatically indicate a supply issue. Ports can often operate from existing storage inventories for extended periods.
However, extended periods without replenishment always warrant observation.
Nelson Becomes a Key Hub
One interesting development this week was the concentration of activity through Nelson.
Both Hafnia Falcon and Hafnia Mikala visited Nelson following Wellington operations.
This suggests Nelson is continuing to play an important role as a regional fuel distribution point for upper South Island supply.
The steady flow of product through Nelson provides additional flexibility in the coastal supply chain.
What We Are Watching
There are three areas worth monitoring moving forward:
1. Heavy Dependence on Imports
The arrival of PS Sydney and TP Endurance highlights a reality many New Zealanders forget.
Every litre arriving today is imported.
Without domestic refining capability, the country remains heavily dependent on uninterrupted international shipping schedules.
Weather disruptions, geopolitical events, shipping delays or regional conflicts can quickly impact fuel availability.
2. Storage Visibility
While shipping activity remains healthy, public visibility into actual national fuel stock levels remains limited.
Ship arrivals tell us product is moving.
They do not tell us how much inventory remains in storage across the network.
That continues to be one of the biggest unknowns in assessing New Zealand's true fuel resilience.
3. Regional Port Coverage
Several ports have experienced lengthy gaps between fuel deliveries.
While this is not currently a cause for alarm, it reinforces the importance of maintaining sufficient regional storage capacity throughout the country.
Overall Assessment
This week's fuel picture is generally positive.
International imports continue to arrive.
The coastal tanker fleet remains active.
Product is flowing through both North and South Island distribution networks.
There are no obvious signs of immediate supply stress.
However, the week's activity also serves as a reminder that New Zealand's fuel security remains dependent on imported product arriving on time and moving efficiently through a relatively small number of key ports.
For now, the system appears to be functioning well.
But fuel security is ultimately about resilience during disruption, not normal operations.
That remains the question New Zealand still needs to answer.
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Dave Trotter is an independent Fuel Compilation Analyst and founder of Marsden Point News Radio. He tracks fuel tanker movements in and out of New Zealand using real-time shipping and port data following the Marsden Point Refinery closure. His work provides a factual, ground-level view of NZ’s fuel supply, focusing on imports, storage, and distribution across multiple ports. Dave publishes regular updates at www.davidtrotter.co.nz and via Telegram.