*Chinese crude imports from Saudi Arabia rose by 7.3% to average 1.87mn b/d for the first half of 2023 despite a series of Russian import records including a new monthly record of 2.56mn b/d for June. The latter was up another 270,000 b/d on the previous record set just a month earlier (MEES, 23 June). Average 1H Russian volumes of 2.12mn b/d are up 28% on year-ago levels with Russia topping Saudi Arabia as top supplier for four of the past five months (see chart and table for full data).