Who Controls the World’s Diesel Exports?

The Countries Behind Global Diesel Supply

Diesel powers the trucks, farm equipment, and ships that keep goods moving, making its availability a concern far beyond the fuel pump.

The United States is the world’s largest diesel exporter, accounting for a significant share of global supply. Now, potential U.S. export restrictions are drawing attention as Russia has already moved to restrict its own diesel exports.

This graphic shows 2025 diesel exports by country, based on the annual average of monthly data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

Which Countries Export the Most Diesel?

The United States exported 1.26 million barrels per day, ahead of Russia’s 783,400 and Saudi Arabia’s 678,200. India and South Korea rounded out the top five, each shipping more than half a million barrels daily.

America’s large refining system helps underpin that lead. As of January 2026, the U.S. had 130 operable refineries with 18.2 million barrels per day of crude distillation capacity.

The table below shows the world’s top diesel-exporting countries in 2025:

Rank	Country or region	Diesel exports in 2025
		Thousand barrels per day	Share of global exports (%)
1	United States	1,264	15.4
2	Russia	783.4	9.5
3	Saudi Arabia	678.2	8.3
4	India	567.1	6.9
5	South Korea	561.1	6.8
6	Netherlands	459.8	5.6
7	Singapore	365.9	4.5
8	Kuwait	289.2	3.5
9	Belgium	230.5	2.8
10	Germany	214.3	2.6
11	Malaysia	207.1	2.5
12	Canada	184.8	2.2
13	Italy	161.8	2.0
14	Taiwan	159.2	1.9
15	China	132	1.6
16	Greece	122.8	1.5
17	Spain	115.3	1.4
18	Japan	101.2	1.2
19	Sweden	97.8	1.2
20	Bahrain	92	1.1
21	Türkiye	78.9	1.0
22	Thailand	71.4	0.9
23	Brunei	66.3	0.8
24	United Kingdom	60.4	0.7
25	Slovakia	59.4	0.7
26	France	52.3	0.6
27	Lithuania	51.1	0.6
28	Denmark	48.4	0.6
29	Poland	46.7	0.6
30	Nigeria	46.6	0.6
31	Norway	44.4	0.5
32	Hungary	39.9	0.5
33	Mexico	38	0.5
34	Finland	36.8	0.4
35	Slovenia	31.6	0.4
36	Austria	26.4	0.3
37	Croatia	24.6	0.3
38	Romania	21.4	0.3
39	Czechia	18.7	0.2
40	Brazil	12.6	0.2
	Rest of Latin America	42.7	0.5
	Rest of Europe	77.4	0.9
	Rest of Middle East	170.8	2.1
	Rest of Africa	115.2	1.4
	Rest of Asia-Pacific	146.9	1.8
	World	8216.4	100.0

The UAE, Iran, and Iraq are not listed separately because comparable 2025 data are unavailable.

Together, the Netherlands, Singapore, and Belgium account for 12.9% of exports, but much of that is re-exported fuel. All three are trading hubs that import diesel, store and blend it, then ship it onward, so their export totals overstate what their own refineries produce.

By region, Europe leads with 35.3% of global diesel exports, though Russia alone accounts for more than a quarter of that total.

Much of the rest is intra-European trade, with refiners in Germany, Italy, and Spain shipping to neighboring countries. The continent is still a net diesel importer overall, relying on cargoes from the U.S., India, and the Middle East to cover the gap.

Asia-Pacific follows at 28.9%, supported by export-oriented refiners in India, South Korea, and Singapore.

Why Diesel Export Restrictions Matter Globally

The U.S. lead has taken on new significance as Washington weighs export restrictions. President Donald Trump backed the idea on September 22, 2026, although a White House official disputed a reported 90-day ban plan the following day.

Russia, meanwhile, introduced broad diesel export restrictions in July, with the measures subsequently extended through September. Together, the two countries supplied nearly a quarter of global diesel exports in 2025.

For the countries buying American oil and fuels, U.S. export restrictions could reduce access to a major supplier. Analysts have also warned that losing export markets could prompt U.S. refiners to cut output, potentially reducing production of gasoline and jet fuel alongside diesel.

The debate highlights a potential trade-off: restricting exports could keep more diesel in the U.S. in the short term, but if weaker export demand leads refiners to process less crude, they would also produce less gasoline and jet fuel.

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• Source: https://www.visualcapitalist.com/global-diesel-exports-by-country-2025/