In a crucial move to secure Australia’s fuel supply amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has swiftly traveled to Singapore.
This urgent visit follows the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz, despite a ceasefire agreement reached between the United States and Iran. Concerns have arisen that disruptions to fuel supplies could extend for several months.
Australia is heavily dependent on international sources for about 90% of its liquid fuels, including petrol, diesel, and jet fuel, with the majority of these imports coming from Asia.
During his visit, Albanese is scheduled to meet with Singapore’s Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong. Singapore accounts for 55% of Australia’s petrol and a significant portion of its diesel supplies.
Approximately half of the 80 fuel shipments arriving in Australia each month are sourced from Singapore, highlighting the importance of this partnership during times of global instability.
This interdependence underscores the mutual reliance between the two nations.
As of April 2026, Australia supplies nearly one‑third of Singapore’s liquefied natural gas (LNG), which the country relies on for around 90 per cent of its electricity generation.
That is something Albanese is sure to note as his government tries to lock down a reliable fuel source.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) boarding his flight to Singapore on Thursday morning
Singapore provides Australia with 55 per cent of its petrol and a substantial percentage of its diesel
Singapore’s three refineries, all located on Jurong Island, can process up to 1.5 million barrels of crude oil a day, but the system has come under strain.
Most of the crude oil feeding those refineries normally passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
With the vital shipping route still closed, supplies have tightened and refineries have been forced to temporarily scale back production.
That disruption now threatens fuel availability across the region, including Australia.
To counter the risk, Canberra is leaning hard on its position as a major LNG exporter, using energy diplomacy to ensure Singapore continues prioritising Australian fuel needs amid the crisis.
Before the conflict erupted, around 25 per cent of Singapore’s LNG imports came from Qatar, another supply line now under pressure due to regional instability.
Ensuring Singapore’s refineries keep running has become a top priority as Australia’s economy remains vulnerable to prolonged fuel disruptions.
Speaking at the Ampol Lytton Refinery in Brisbane on Thursday, Albanese warned the fallout from the conflict would not end quickly.
Albanese (right) will hold a high stakes meeting with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) over fuel supplies
He said the crisis would leave a ‘long tail’ even if hostilities ceased permanently.
‘An end to the conflict …. doesn’t mean that the Strait of Hormuz is automatically reopened and that it’s back to business as usual,’ he said.
‘This will have a long tail, which is why after this we will travel to Singapore.
‘I’m looking forward to a constructive meeting with Prime Minister Lawrence Wong tomorrow.’
The Prime Minister said years of diplomacy were now proving crucial.
‘We have spent four years building relationships in our region, particularly with ASEAN leaders, Prime Minister Wong and Singapore,’ he said.
‘The relationship that we have is a critical one, and of course Singapore is a major supplier of fuel to Australia.’
Meanwhile, new figures reveal fuel shortages are slowly easing, although supply remains uneven across the country.
Australia will leverage Singapore’s reliance on LNG exports to shore up fuel supplies (file)
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said New South Wales remains the most affected, with 112 service stations without diesel, while 24 sites are completely out of fuel.
In Victoria, 43 service stations remain without diesel, while 26 outlets are out of unleaded petrol.
Queensland has 32 stations without diesel and 23 without unleaded.
South Australia reports four stations without diesel and five without petrol, while Western Australia has 11 without diesel and 20 without unleaded.
In Tasmania, eight stations are without diesel and six without unleaded.
The Northern Territory has four stations without diesel and six without petrol, while the ACT reports two stations without diesel.
