India Sends First-Ever Jet Fuel Cargo to US West Coast Amid Chevron Outage

India Sends First Jet Fuel Cargo to US West Coast

India has entered a new phase in its refined petroleum exports by dispatching its first-ever jet fuel cargo to the United States’ West Coast . The unprecedented shipment underscores India’s increasing prominence in global energy supply chains and reflects changing market dynamics triggered by refinery disruptions in the U.S.

Historic Shipment from Jamnagar

A cargo carrying 60,000 metric tonnes of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) departed from Jamnagar port on 28–29 October. The shipment, produced at Reliance Industries’ mega-refinery—one of the world’s most advanced refining centres—was loaded onto the tanker Hafnia Kallang , chartered by Castleton Commodities. The vessel is expected to reach Los Angeles in early December , marking the first direct ATF delivery from India to the U.S. West Coast.

Chevron Refinery Outage Creates Supply Gap

The export window opened as a result of an operational breakdown at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery , a key 285,000 barrels-per-day facility in California. Damage to its jet fuel processing units has caused prolonged output disruptions, with repairs expected to continue until early 2026. The outage significantly tightened local inventories, prompting Chevron to secure alternative supplies from overseas markets.

Global Market Dynamics and Regional Competition

While the milestone highlights India’s rising export capability, long-term ATF shipments to the U.S. West Coast remain unlikely due to cheaper freight rates from South Korea and Northeast Asia . Jet fuel flows from the region recently reached a five-month high, supported by favourable price spreads and stable shipping costs.

Exam Oriented Facts

• India exported 60,000 MT of jet fuel to the U.S. West Coast for the first time.

• Cargo originated from Reliance’s Jamnagar refinery .

• Trigger: Chevron El Segundo refinery outage .

• U.S. West Coast inventories recently fell to a three-month low .