Sharp Increase in 'Unsuccessful' Public Tenders for Petroleum and Petroleum Products

In response to the current Iran crisis, Zuno Co., Ltd. conducted an analysis of bidding information across public agencies nationwide. The results revealed a sharp increase in unsuccessful tenders for cases involving keywords related to petroleum and petroleum products. The impact of escalating Middle East tensions and fuel price fluctuations is particularly notable in 2026.

Trend in Number of Unsuccessful Tenders by Year (March 1 - April 30 each year)

Target period: 2018-2026 (March 1 - April 30 annually) Keywords for target cases: Gasoline, heavy oil, diesel oil, LP gas, kerosene, petroleum, naphtha, asphalt Keywords for unsuccessful judgment: Unsuccessful (fucho), cancellation, called off, no bid, terminated, invalid Target agencies: Central government ministries, independent administrative institutions, and local governments across Japan. *This analysis is independently compiled based on the 'Nyusatsu-King' database operated by Zuno Co., Ltd. (extracted from the DB as of May 27, 2026).

Analysis Results

The number of unsuccessful cases in 2026 (March 1 - April 30) reached 238, significantly exceeding figures for the same period from 2018 to 2025. It is thought that a combination of tensions in the Middle East region, maritime transport risks, and rising logistics costs between 2025 and 2026 may have contributed to a gap between market prices and scheduled prices, leading to tender failures.

Public bidding and procurement are vital mechanisms for supporting social infrastructure. However, in recent years, global energy price fluctuations and geopolitical risks have directly impacted procurement sites for local governments and public works. Sudden changes in fuel prices and logistics costs ripple across many public services, including construction work, road maintenance, transportation, and asphalt paving. We intend to continue monitoring trends in unsuccessful tenders beyond May 2026.