How a distant war is exposing cracks in Florida’s fuel supply

Fuel producers have prioritised exports to Europe and Asia over barge shipments within the US, as international markets have been hit hardest by the Strait of Hormuz closure, improving export margins.

"Ships that would normally move product from the lower Mississippi or Houston to Florida ports are largely headed elsewhere," said Tom Kloza, chief energy advisor to Gulf Oil.

Florida residents this month paid as much as 15 cents a gallon, or nearly four per cent more than the national average for gasoline, and as much as 35 cents, or over six per cent more for diesel, data from GasBuddy showed. Typically, prices in the state are below the average nationwide.

Those are the highest premiums Floridians have paid for gasoline over the national average since 2013, and the highest ever for diesel, the data showed. California and Hawaii remain the states paying the biggest premiums for their fuel.