Zhoushan in China’s Zhejiang province supplied 8.03 million metric tonnes (MMT) of bonded bunker fuel in 2025, an increase of 10.6% compared with the previous year, according to data released by Zhoushan Municipal People's Government.

The year-on-year rise from 7.26 MMT in 2024 means that the island city port looks to be in contention to become the world's third-largest bunker port in 2025. With Antwerp-Bruges posting trailing 12-month (TTM) bunker sales of 7.988 MMT for the third quarter of 2025, end-of-year data for the Belgian hub will decide which of the two locations takes third place behind Rotterdam and Singapore.

The UAE port of Fujairah, meanwhile, is set to come in fifth place having posted TTM bunker sales of 7.408 million cubic metres (7.26 MMT) for November.

Zhoushan's rise in bunker sales

Zhoushan Municipal People's Government notes that the city has introduced new rules and oversight measures for cleaner fuel operations, including a joint supervision system for vessel fuelling and a green-transition action plan. These initiatives helped add almost 120,000 tonnes of biofuel oil to Zhoushan’s bunkering volumes during the year.

Alternative-fuel infrastructure has also been expanded. Zhoushan has opened a bonded warehouse for liquefied natural gas (LNG), begun building its first methanol bunkering vessel, and brought its first liquid-ammonia fuelling company into operation.

Moreover, digital oversight of bunkering has been upgraded through the introduction of provincial-level standards for flow meters and a nationwide digital system for bonded fuel operations. The system is intended to streamline measurement, transfer and verification of bunker deliveries.

The port has also taken steps to improve fuelling efficiency at anchorages, including adding priority berths and extending night-time bunkering services. Anchorage fuel deliveries reached 2.84 MMT in 2025, up 19.1% year on year.

Zhoushan is continuing to adjust policies and infrastructure to keep fuel prices competitive and increase storage capacity, the official press department for the city noted.