June 7, 2012. Indian Oil Corp. has emerged in the spot market for the second time to seek diesel due to increased demand and refinery maintenance. The company's latest requirement brings its total diesel needs in the spot market to 180,000 tonnes for delivery in June and July. India's biggest refiner plans to shut a crude unit and a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) at its 150,000 barrels-per-day unit at Haldia plant in June for maintenance. IOC will also shut a vacuum distillation unit (VDU) at its 274,000 bpd Gujarat refinery during June- July for maintenance. The shutdowns are expected to increase the company's diesel needs as it tries to meet India's growing demand for diesel-powered vehicles, which accounted for more than 40 percent of new car sales in India in the year to March 2012. In its latest tender, Indian Oil is seeking two 60,000-tonne diesel cargoes with a sulphur content of 320 parts-per-million (ppm). The first cargo is for delivery into Chennai, Haldia and Paradip over June 28-30 while the second cargo is for delivery into Chennai, Vizag and Haldia over July 7-9. The tender closes on June 14. The company issued a tender seeking 60,000 tonnes of diesel for delivery into Chennai, Vizag and Paradip over June 19-21.