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* Asian imports of Iran oil at 1.32 mln bpd last month
* Imports by India rise as China, Japan see decline
* South Korean imports nearly double yr/yr
* Iran struggles to find enough ships for exports
By Aaron Sheldrick
TOKYO, May 31 (Reuters) - Asian imports of Iranian oil in April rose by more than 13 percent from a year ago as Tehran vies to recoup market share lost under international sanctions, with shipments into India and South Korea offsetting a big slump in purchases by Japan.
The figures are in line with loading data obtained earlier by Reuters and confirm that Iran is regaining market share faster than expected after sanctions were lifted in January.
April imports by Iran's biggest buyers would have been higher had Japan not halted loadings in March over shipping insurance concerns that have since been resolved.
Japan on Tuesday announced its official oil import figures for April, following data earlier from China, India and South Korea. Iran's biggest oil clients together imported 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) last month, according to official government and tanker-tracking data.
Iran's total oil exports to Asia are set to surge nearly 60 percent in May from a year earlier to 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd).
For several years before 2012, Iran exported around 2.5 million bpd, with more than half going to Asia, mainly China, South Korea, India and Japan.
Keeping the upward momentum on exports may be challenging for Iran as Middle Eastern rivals are also vying for market share as crude prices have surged in recent weeks.
Iraq will supply 5 million barrels of extra crude in June to raise market share ahead of an OPEC meeting this week, industry sources said this week.
Top exporter Saudi Arabia is also offering extra crude as its rivalry with Iran shifts to oil markets.
China imports from Iran fell more than 5 percent to just over 670,000 bpd in April, while India's surged nearly 50 percent to around 390,000 bpd.
South Korea's imports rose nearly 90 percent to 237,000 bpd. Japan's shipments fell 72 percent to less than 20,000 bpd.
The following tables show Asia's Iran crude imports in bpd for last month and the year to date.
Country Apr-16 Apr-15 yr/yr pct China 671,176 707,400 -5.1 India 392,900 264,100 48.8 Japan 19,161 68,275 -71.9 Korea 237,133 126,033 88.2 Total 1,320,370 1,165,808 13.3
Country Jan-Apr 2016 Jan-Apr 2015 yr/yr pct China 551,282 587,191 -6.1 India 322,500 160,500 100.9 Japan 216,188 188,061 15.0 Korea 247,628 116,942 111.8 Total 1,337,598 1,052,694 27.1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick, with additional reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Tom Hogue) ((aaron.sheldrick@thomsonreuters.com; 81-3-6441-1320; Reuters Messaging: aaron.sheldrick.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
* Imports by India rise as China, Japan see decline
* South Korean imports nearly double yr/yr
* Iran struggles to find enough ships for exports
By Aaron Sheldrick
TOKYO, May 31 (Reuters) - Asian imports of Iranian oil in April rose by more than 13 percent from a year ago as Tehran vies to recoup market share lost under international sanctions, with shipments into India and South Korea offsetting a big slump in purchases by Japan.
The figures are in line with loading data obtained earlier by Reuters and confirm that Iran is regaining market share faster than expected after sanctions were lifted in January.
April imports by Iran's biggest buyers would have been higher had Japan not halted loadings in March over shipping insurance concerns that have since been resolved.
Japan on Tuesday announced its official oil import figures for April, following data earlier from China, India and South Korea. Iran's biggest oil clients together imported 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) last month, according to official government and tanker-tracking data.
Iran's total oil exports to Asia are set to surge nearly 60 percent in May from a year earlier to 2.3 million barrels per day (bpd).
For several years before 2012, Iran exported around 2.5 million bpd, with more than half going to Asia, mainly China, South Korea, India and Japan.
Keeping the upward momentum on exports may be challenging for Iran as Middle Eastern rivals are also vying for market share as crude prices have surged in recent weeks.
Iraq will supply 5 million barrels of extra crude in June to raise market share ahead of an OPEC meeting this week, industry sources said this week.
Top exporter Saudi Arabia is also offering extra crude as its rivalry with Iran shifts to oil markets.
China imports from Iran fell more than 5 percent to just over 670,000 bpd in April, while India's surged nearly 50 percent to around 390,000 bpd.
South Korea's imports rose nearly 90 percent to 237,000 bpd. Japan's shipments fell 72 percent to less than 20,000 bpd.
The following tables show Asia's Iran crude imports in bpd for last month and the year to date.
Country Apr-16 Apr-15 yr/yr pct China 671,176 707,400 -5.1 India 392,900 264,100 48.8 Japan 19,161 68,275 -71.9 Korea 237,133 126,033 88.2 Total 1,320,370 1,165,808 13.3
Country Jan-Apr 2016 Jan-Apr 2015 yr/yr pct China 551,282 587,191 -6.1 India 322,500 160,500 100.9 Japan 216,188 188,061 15.0 Korea 247,628 116,942 111.8 Total 1,337,598 1,052,694 27.1 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^> (Reporting by Aaron Sheldrick, with additional reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Tom Hogue) ((aaron.sheldrick@thomsonreuters.com; 81-3-6441-1320; Reuters Messaging: aaron.sheldrick.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
