Scramble for jet fuel shows how energy shortages are rippling across Asia
20 March 2026
Time to read: minutes
“We’re peering into what our gasoline and diesel future is going to look like if this doesn’t get resolved,” said James Noel-Beswick, Head of Commodities at Sparta Commodities. “Jet is kind of a canary in the coal mine.”
New York Times, 20 March 2026 – Asia’s jet fuel crisis is deepening three weeks into the Middle East war. Prices have hit a record $200/barrel — more than double pre-war levels — as China, South Korea and Thailand restrict refined product exports and import-dependent countries scramble for supply. Airlines have canceled thousands of flights across the region. The jet fuel crunch is the first visible crack in a supply chain under extreme pressure, with gasoline and diesel potentially next.
Book a demo to see how Sparta enables you to trade with conviction
