The region's role
Northeast Asia's ports serve the intra-Asia trades and the transpacific gateways. Two hubs lead: Busan in South Korea supplied about 6.2 million tonnes in 2024, and Hong Kong about 5.7 million tonnes — both among the ten largest bunker ports in the world, and both growing.
The hubs
Busan — Korea's gateway
A major transshipment port with a deep supplier base and every mainstream grade. Bunkering is by barge, with alongside supply available during cargo operations. Ulsan, Korea's refining centre, complements it nearby.
Hong Kong — the southern gateway
A licensed anchorage bunkering market at the mouth of the Pearl River Delta, convenient for vessels working South China without entering the mainland bonded system.
Taiwan & Japan
Kaohsiung anchors Taiwan; Japan's Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe serve the domestic and transpacific trades with reliable, high-quality supply.
Planning a stem
The region rewards planning: availability is good but lead times and grade choice vary by port, and for vessels also weighing the China hubs the bonded-price question is worth modelling. Standard nomination discipline — and quality testing — applies.
What it means for buyers
Northeast Asia gives you dependable fuelling points across the intra-Asia and transpacific routes. Seven Ocean supplies at Busan, Hong Kong, Ulsan, Kaohsiung and the Japanese hubs. See where they rank in the global volume table.
Busan (South Korea) and Hong Kong lead, both among the world's ten largest hubs, supported by Ulsan, Kaohsiung (Taiwan) and the Japanese ports of Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe. It depends on the call. Hong Kong offers licensed anchorage bunkering without entering the mainland bonded system; if the ship is calling a mainland port, China's bonded fuel can be cheaper. Model both for the specific voyage. Yes. Tokyo, Yokohama and Kobe offer reliable, high-quality supply for domestic and transpacific traffic.Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main bunker ports in Northeast Asia?
Should I bunker at Hong Kong or in mainland China?
Is bunker supply reliable in Japan?