NZ fuel stocks tick down, as tensions over Hormuz ratchet up

Monday, 13 April 2026

Fuel stocks have ticked down in data released by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) this afternoon, but remain within the realm of normal.

The data shows that overall, New Zealand has 59.7 days of petrol available, 49.1 days of diesel and 50.7 days of jet fuel, as at 11.59pm, Wednesday April 8.

This compares with 61.9 days of petrol, 51.5 days of diesel and 50.1 days of jet fuel in the previous update.

In the previous update, New Zealand had 62.6 days of petrol, 51.7 days of diesel and 53.5 days of jet fuel available - the highest amount of petrol and jet fuel reported since the Government started publishing fuel supply updates in March.

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For today’s figres, MBIE said national fuel stocks remained stable with sufficient stock levels across petrol, diesel and jet fuel, albeit showing a decrease.

But “movements remain within expectations and show normal patterns,” it said.

New Zealand authorities have remained largely tight-lipped and outwardly relaxed about the state of the country’s fuel stocks, even as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is currently on his second trip to South East Asia to shore up supplies.

Sounding the most strident note of concern was Finance Minister Nicola Willis, who told media two weeks ago that while the country could remain in phase one of its fuel crisis response, “we do remain gravely concerned with the trajectory of the conflict in the Middle East”.

Since Willis made those comments, there had been a ceasefire that sent oil prices plummeting down and sentiment up, which swiftly failed to take. In a more than 21 hour meeting in Pakistan this weekend between US and Iranian officials, there was a failure to come to an agreement about where to from here.

US President Donald Trump this morning threatened a US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz to prevent any other country doing a deal with Iran to get its oil through, potentially exacerbating the oil shock currently being experienced around the world.

Global crude oil prices surged on the news, with Brent Crude oil reaching US$102.31 per barrel after Trump’s announcement.