China's Ministry of Commerce issued the first crude import quotas for the nation's 'teapot' refineries for 2017. The quotas are higher than the amount teapots actually imported in 2016, which suggests dirty tanker transits into China could remain steady or improve this year.

Ahead of the country's upcoming New Year, China approved the use of some 45.64 million tonnes of foreign crude for the 19 independently owned refineries.