RoydadNaft –  India has exported its first-ever cargo of jet fuel to the U.S. West Coast, capitalizing on a rare arbitrage window created by severe supply shortages in California following a major fire at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery.

Trade sources and shipping data show that approximately 60,000 metric tons (473,000 barrels) of aviation fuel was loaded onto the Panamax tanker Hafnia Kallang between October 28–29 at Reliance Industries’ Jamnagar refinery on India’s west coast. The vessel, chartered by Castleton Commodities International, is scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles during the first half of December.

The shipment is destined for Chevron, whose 285,000-barrel-per-day El Segundo facility has been running at reduced rates since an October blaze knocked multiple units offline. The company said repairs to the jet fuel production unit are not expected to be completed until early 2026.

“Supply on the U.S. West Coast will remain tight until El Segundo is fully back online,” one Singapore-based jet fuel trader said.

Despite the landmark shipment, traders cautioned that regular flows from India to California are unlikely. Freight costs from Northeast Asia — primarily South Korea, Taiwan, China and Japan — remain significantly lower, with October shipments from the region to the U.S. West Coast hitting a five-month high of around 600,000 tons.

U.S. West Coast jet fuel inventories fell to a three-month low of 11.12 million barrels in the week ending November 7, while regional prices have held a premium of roughly $10 per barrel over Singapore spot values, keeping the arbitrage attractive for now.

The voyage marks the first time Indian jet fuel has crossed the Pacific to supply the world’s largest aviation market, highlighting how unexpected refinery disruptions can temporarily redraw global trade patterns.