Fuel stock and shipping updates

Current fuel stocks

Current fuel stock as at 11:59pm Sunday 25 October (as days' cover).

*Totals may not sum due to rounding, and do not include the government reserve of diesel fuel.

The fuel supply chain continues to operate smoothly, with fuel flowing into the country as expected.

Fuel importers have provided good confidence in their forward supplies, with planned orders extending for the next 3 months.

Note: The diesel stock and shipping data on this page does not include the 87.5 million litre strategic diesel reserve purchased by Z Energy under an agreement with the Government (which is being stored at Marsden Point).

Up until 1 August 2027, the Government can choose to make this diesel available to fuel importers if there are supply issues. Fuel companies can request access to the reserve, with each request carefully reviewed before any decisions are made to ensure the reserve is used where it is most needed.

If unused, the diesel would progressively transition into Z Energy’s business-as-usual stocks through to November 2027.

Fuel stock by type over time

These graphs show movements in fuel stocks since early March.

Stock movements reflect normal shipping patterns and routine variation and are consistent with what we would expect even without the conflict in the Middle East.

In normal supply cycles, large shipments arrive and stocks are steadily used before the next vessels are loaded. This results in a pattern of large increases followed by periods of decline.

Shipping

Fuel companies reported there were 11 fuel ships on the water as at 11:59pm Sunday 25 October, either within New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) (up to 2 days away) or outside the EEZ (up to 3 weeks away).

On water within EEZ

• Altmann
• Forever Glory
• Oriental Sunstone
• Seaways Watch Hill

On water outside EEZ

• Forever Confidence
• Hafnia Pride
• Maersk Corsica
• Orient Challenge
• Sea Cronus
• STI Virtus
• Torm Evolve

Note: MBIE does not publish ship-level consignment details because fuel importers have told us this is commercially sensitive and provided in confidence. Protecting this confidentiality ensures we continue to get the most detailed system-wide information possible. This allows us to monitor the fuel supply as New Zealanders expect.

Information about this data

MBIE receives its updates from fuel importers. This data is cross-checked against other sources of shipping information and aggregated to protect commercial confidentiality.

Days’ cover

MBIE calculates days’ cover using minimum stockholding obligation (MSO) demand levels from before the conflict:

• 8.1 million litres of petrol
• 10.7 million litres of diesel
• 4.8 million litres of jet fuel.

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)

The Exclusive Economic Zone is a boundary that extends 200 nautical miles (370.4km) off the coast.

On water within EEZ

Fuel is being unloaded from ships, on board ships at berth but not yet unloading, or on ships moving between ports or that have entered the EEZ from international waters.

On water outside EEZ

Fuel on ships that have left their port of origin but not yet entered New Zealand waters.

Disclaimer

MBIE endeavours, to the best of its knowledge and ability, to ensure the data provided and published is accurate. However, as the data is received from external sources, MBIE does not warrant that it is current, accurate or complete. The data may be changed, deleted, added to or otherwise amended at any time as new information becomes available.

This data will next be updated on the afternoon of Thursday 5 November 2026.