Cambodia Pivots Fuel Imports to Singapore, Malaysia
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- Keo Rottanak told Reuters on March 18 that Cambodia is importing more fuel from Singapore and Malaysia to offset supply shortfalls from Vietnam and China, which have restricted fuel exports until at least the end of March.
- About a third of Cambodia's 6,300 petrol stations closed last week due to uncertainty over the US-Israeli war on Iran's impact on fuel prices, but closures have since dropped to 5.77%.
- Thailand and Vietnam together accounted for over 60% of Cambodia's 2024 petroleum product imports, while Singapore and Malaysia made up nearly a third and China around 7%, per International Trade Centre data.
- Woodside Energy held preliminary talks with Cambodia in March to supply LNG for a 900MW power plant expected to begin generation in 2027.
- Petrol and diesel exports from Singapore and Malaysia to Cambodia in the first 18 days of March were 25% higher than the same period in 2025 but 40% lower than the final 18 days of February, per Kpler data.
- Renewable energy has partly shielded Cambodia from the fuel shock, Rottanak said, adding that the crisis illustrates the need for an interconnected ASEAN power grid.
Why it matters: Cambodia has no oil refinery and less than a month's worth of diesel, jet fuel, LPG, and petrol under normal conditions, leaving its 6,300 petrol stations exposed to disruptions thousands of kilometers away. Early-March flows from Singapore and Malaysia are already 25% higher year-on-year, but the 40% drop versus late February shows the country is still short of pre-crisis demand. The Woodside LNG talks and renewable buildout indicate a longer-term hedge against future supply shocks.
