LONDON: Asia's West African crude oil loadings in May are expected to edge higher from the previous month, but remain below the March level, according to a Reuters survey of shipping fixtures and oil traders on Thursday.
West Africa's total loadings for Asia are on track to reach just over 2 million barrels per day (bpd), up from 1.932 million bpd in April.
Shipments to China, the world's second-largest oil consumer and a key outlet for Angolan oil, are expected to climb back to 1.348 million bpd, from 1.267 million bpd in April, but below the record level of 1.41 million bpd sent to China in March.
Still, ominous signs for China's demand for West African oil were percolating, as May-loading cargoes sold more slowly than those from recent months, June loadings struggling to sell so far and chief buyer Unipec offering to resell some of its own cargoes.
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