Ukraine's bitumen imports jumped in March to 19,500t, from 2,200t in February and 5,100t in March 2025. Supplies in March were the highest since 2021, according to market participants.
Bitumen deliveries soared as a pothole-repair campaign in the spring spurred buying interest. An unusually harsh winter, with colder-than-normal temperatures, affected road infrastructure all over the country, a supplier said.
Lithuania was the biggest bitumen supplier to Ukraine in March, with almost 10,000t, the highest since August. Imports from Romania surged to 7,500t from only 440t in February, with the lion's share originating from Greece and shipped via trading firm Vitol's terminal at the port of Galati. Romanian inflows reached all-time highs because of lower Polish exports, suppliers noted.
Deliveries from Poland amounted to just 1,800t, as the country's largest supplier, Orlen, resumed bitumen exports from its 373,000 b/d Plock refinery only in the second half of March following a seasonal shutdown.
Ukrainian companies also imported around 170t of bitumen from the Czech Republic in March.
Cumulative bitumen imports to Ukraine in January-March totalled 24,600t, from 7,560t in the same period in 2025.
