NEW DELHI, April 6 (Reuters) - Singapore's imports of Russian naphtha nearly tripled in the first quarter of 2023, government data showed, after the European Union banned oil products imports from Russia. The Asia oil hub imported 741,000 tonnes of Russian naphtha in the period, accounting for about 23% of Singapore's total imports of the refined product, a Reuters calculation based on Enterprise Singapore data showed. The EU banned imports of Russian oil products from Feb. 5 and the Group of Seven Nations, EU and Australia imposed a $45 cap on Russian naphtha trade using western ships and insurance. The limitations, which have changed global oil trade flows, are aimed at curbing Moscow's revenues, while allowing Russian supplies to stay in the market and keep world oil prices low. The key buyers of naphtha from Singapore are South Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan, the data showed.

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