Fuel Export to Russia Raises Questions About Morocco's Energy Oversight
The Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development recently stated that it does not possess any recorded data regarding the export of a rare fuel shipment, specifically 30,000 tons of gasoline, from Morocco to Russia. The ministry acknowledged that such information could potentially be found within customs and currency exchange offices, highlighting the responsibilities of the Directorate of Hydrocarbons, which includes the gathering of statistical data and the management of databases related to petroleum products. Additionally, the ministry is tasked with contributing to the preparation and execution of cooperative agreements in the hydrocarbons sector and regulating the national oil industry.
Despite these responsibilities, the data provided by the ministry to the news outlet Hespress indicates a lack of awareness concerning the departure of such a shipment from Moroccan territory. While they did not entirely dismiss the possibility of the shipment's export, the ministry admitted that relevant information was absent from their records. This lack of clarity raises concerns, especially given the ministry's role in overseeing the regular supply of petroleum products to the national market, ensuring monitoring of operations related to supply, storage, transport, distribution, and marketing of petroleum and gas products, including solid and synthetic fuels.
A source from the national energy sector expressed confusion regarding this lack of vital information within the ministry’s technical offices. They emphasized that managing strategic reserve stocks falls under the ministry's jurisdiction, asserting that the appropriate response should either confirm or deny the existence of the shipment, rather than deflecting responsibility to other institutions. This sentiment is underscored by the current context of rising local fuel prices and the urgent need for adequate reserves.
According to an international report by Reuters, Moscow has implemented a series of measures to support its local fuel market after facing shortages and rising prices due to repeated drone attacks on oil refineries in Ukraine. These measures include importing gasoline via rail from Belarus and Kazakhstan, along with a ban on fuel exports, coupled with the importation of the aforementioned shipment from Morocco. Two sources from the energy sector informed Reuters that a Panama-flagged tanker loaded the shipment at the Moroccan port of Tangier in mid-July, subsequently unloading it at the Russian port of Murmansk, located in the Arctic region. The Russian company Lukoil is reported to have facilitated the supply of this shipment.
As reported by hespress.com.
