Recent shipments of fuel are being dispatched from the Tangier Med port to Russia, while Russian diesel is still making its way to Morocco. These exchanges persist despite the restrictions imposed by Moscow and the ongoing challenges faced by its refineries. According to an analysis published on September 29 by S&P Global, nearly 40,000 tons of petroleum products have been shipped from Tangier Med to Russia for the second consecutive week, although the specific nature of these products remains unspecified in maritime data.
Simultaneously, Russia continues to export diesel and gas oil. In the week ending September 24, a total of 81,000 tons were loaded at Primorsk on the Baltic Sea, with Morocco and Venezuela listed as declared destinations. In stark contrast, departures from the Black Sea have fallen to zero, marking a first in S&P Global's records. Ukrainian attacks on refineries and export restrictions are weighing heavily on the available volumes, with the Russian ban expected to remain in effect until the end of October.
Tangier Med: A Vital Supply Route for Moscow
The shipments to Russia extend a trend observed during the summer months. In mid-July, approximately 30,000 tons of AI-92 gasoline were loaded at Tangier before being transported to Murmansk in the Russian Arctic. Two industry sources cited by Reuters identified Lukoil as the supplier at that time. This indicates that the Moroccan port's role has evolved beyond that of a mere delivery point. In an analysis from September 4, Windward described a terminal at Tangier Med receiving European and British gasoline, blending it before re-exporting it to Russian ports. Thus, a shipment departing from Morocco does not solely reflect its industrial origin.
As previously reported by Bladi in their article on this supply route via Tangier Med, nine tankers delivered approximately one million barrels to the terminal between January and August. The loads originated from countries including Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Between June and July, three additional vessels transported around one million barrels from Tangier Med to Russian ports in the Arctic and Baltic regions. These movements indicate that Moscow's supply through this route had begun prior to the latest restrictions.
Windward also noted that the volumes shipped exceeded the European and British arrivals identified during the same period. The company attributed this possible discrepancy to the utilization of previous stockpiles and blending operations carried out at the terminal.
As reported by bladi.net.
