China expertise as a trading discipline.
Direct foreign-counterparty deals into Chinese refinery and petrochemical complexes stall on a predictable set of issues. We operate the desk that dissolves them.
Quota & policy mechanics
Chinese non-state crude oil imports are governed by quota allocations issued annually by the relevant ministries. Refinery-level eligibility, allocated volumes, and policy direction shift each cycle. Petrochemical exports operate under their own quota and VAT-rebate regimes. Foreign counterparties cannot read these mechanics off public information; we do.
- Annual non-state crude import quota allocation cycle and revision points
- Refinery-level eligibility and remaining quota visibility
- Petrochemical export quota and VAT-rebate window discipline
- Policy direction reading across the year — what is tightening, what is loosening
Refinery & plant configuration matching
A cargo's value is set by the configuration of the receiving refinery, not by the spec sheet alone. Coker margin economics, hydrocracker yield slates, FCC unit constraints, aromatic complex feedstock fits — each refinery has a specific window. We match cargoes to that window.
- Coker, hydrocracker, FCC and aromatic unit configurations
- Sulfur, API, TAN and metals tolerance per refinery
- Yield slate fit against current refinery margin economics
- Plant-side product spec windows for outbound petchem flows
Payment & FX discipline
Settlement in China is not a single mechanism. USD offshore LC, RMB onshore settlement, prepayment versus acceptance terms, opening bank preferences, FX timing — all interact with Chinese banking and FX administration. Payment friction is where many foreign-side deals quietly fail.
- USD offshore LC vs. RMB onshore settlement structure choice
- Opening bank selection and bank-to-bank correspondence patterns
- Sight, usance and acceptance term selection
- FX hedge timing alignment with shipment and discharge windows
Performance assurance
Default scenarios, rejection events, claim procedures and remedy paths under Chinese commercial framework are different from common-law jurisdictions. We map the resolution path before the cargo ships, not after a problem emerges.
- Default and rejection paths under PRC commercial law
- Claim and remedy procedures with Chinese counterparties
- Inspection and surveyor coordination as evidentiary anchor
- Dispute escalation and arbitration jurisdiction selection
Language & cultural fluency
Substantive Chinese-side negotiation is not the same as translated negotiation. Contract terms, technical specs, dispute discussions, refinery-side operations — all happen in operational Mandarin, with a different rhythm of decision-making. We operate inside that rhythm.
- Substantive negotiation in Mandarin with Chinese counterparties
- Technical spec discussion at refinery / plant operational level
- Dispute and remedy discussions before and during a transaction
- Internal counterparty escalation paths in Chinese state-linked entities
Port & logistics discipline
Discharge into a Chinese port is a coordinated execution: terminal slot, surveyor appointment, customs declaration, demurrage clock, tank availability. The same coordination applies in reverse for outbound petchem shipments.
- Discharge port slot scheduling and demurrage management
- Surveyor coordination and quality / quantity certification
- Customs declaration documentation and clearance sequencing
- Terminal protocol and shore-tank coordination at discharge
Open a confidential conversation.
We respond within two working days for serious counterparties.