China’s base oil imports fell below 1.5 million metric tons in 2025, reaching its lowest point in recent years, declining slightly from 2024 levels, according to data from lubricant industry consulting firm ICIS. Whitney Shi, a Shanghai-based analyst at ICIS, attributed the decline to a combination of a sluggish national economy and significant overcapacity in API Group II and Group III oils. Speaking at the annual China International Lubrication Industry Conference on March 24 in Shanghai, Sh...

Drone strikes on Russia’s Baltic ports in recent days halted shipments, disrupting export logistics and raising risks for base oil supply chains. Ukrainian drones struck Primorsk and Ust-Luga multiple times between March 23 and March 31, damaging storage tanks and starting fires, according to Russian and international media. Ust-Luga was hit three times, including the latest overnight strike, in one of the most concentrated attacks on Russia’s western export infrastructure since the war bega...

Oxea has issued eight pricing notifications across five product segments within a four-week period, with cumulative increases on certain lubricant-related raw materials reaching approximately U.S.$700 per metric tonne. The company attributed the adjustments to sustained increases in feedstock costs, energy prices and logistics expenses. It also referenced continued volatility in supply and demand conditions amid geopolitical tensions and disruptions affecting Middle East energy flows, including...

Shanghai Lubricant Trade Association Inks Co-op with Kroneseder Lubricants On March 19, the Shanghai Lubricant Trade Association (SLTA) signed a strategic innovation cooperation agreement with Kroneseder Lubricants in Shanghai to jointly advance the research and development of green lubrication technologies. Under the agreement, the two parties will establish the “Green Lubrication Technology Innovation Center.” Leveraging SLTA’s expert resources and Kroneseder Lubricants’ Smart Factory ...

The American Petroleum Institute activated Emergency Provisional Licensing for participants in its Engine Oil Licensing and Certification System, stating that supply disruptions associated with the ongoing Middle East conflict meet the force majeure criteria set out in API 1509 Section 6.9. In a notice from March 24, signed by Bill O’Ryan, director of EOLCS/DEF, the organization indicated that the decision followed a request submitted earlier in the month by the Independent Lubricant Manufact...

Smith & Allan has withdrawn its Momentum C3 SWTL 5W-30 engine oil following an investigation by Verification of Lubricant Specifications into product claims linked to a Stellantis engine oil specification. The case forms part of a broader market review launched in 2025 by VLS, an independent body that examines complaints and compliance issues related to lubricant performance claims. The investigation focused on references to the Stellantis FPW 9.55535/03 specification, which applies to a ran...

Cummins Approves Valvoline Blue One Solution Gen 2 Blue One Solution Gen 2, the first heavy-duty engine oil approved by enginer maker Cummins, Inc. for oil drain intervals of up to 100,000 miles. This represents an extension of up to 25,000 miles beyond standard recommendations, reducing maintenance frequency, downtime, and overall fleet operating costs. According to Valvoline, it demonstrates an ability to meet real-world demands for heavy-duty performance and efficiency. It is also the first t...