Russia Turns to Morocco for Petrol Imports as Refinery Damage Bites

(MURMANSK, RUSSIA) – Russia has received its first seaborne shipment of AI-92 petrol from Morocco, according to two industry sources who spoke to Reuters on Friday. A Panama flagged tanker loaded the fuel at the Moroccan port of Tangier in mid July and is now discharging the cargo at the Russian Arctic port of Murmansk.

The shipment totals about 30,000 metric tonnes of petrol. The supplier of the cargo is Lukoil, the sources said. Trading data from the Saint Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange shows that AI-92 petrol is already being offered for rail transport from the Kola station, which serves the port of Murmansk.

Russia has been forced to take extra steps to steady its domestic fuel market following a series of Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries. Damage to processing plants has caused a shortage of petrol and a sharp rise in prices. Measures taken by the Russian authorities include importing petrol by rail from Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as a temporary ban on fuel exports.

In mid July, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia would begin importing oil products to stabilise the internal market amid a fuel deficit caused by refinery shutdowns and growing demand.