Gasoline imported from Morocco has encountered significant delays in reaching the Russian domestic market due to ongoing disputes between Russian oil companies and regulators over pricing strategies. According to a report by the Russian energy publication InfoTEK, as of August 14, the costly foreign fuel has not yet been made available for local consumption. This situation arises after Russia imported approximately 30,000 metric tons of AI-92 gasoline from Morocco, aiming to alleviate shortages that emerged following Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries.
The gasoline shipment was loaded onto a Panama-flagged tanker in Tangier in mid-July and subsequently transported to the Arctic port of Murmansk, as reported by Reuters on July 31. However, the entry of this gasoline into Russia's domestic market has been stalled, with companies arguing that the pricing needs to accommodate high transportation, insurance, tax, and handling costs. One industry insider indicated that there are demands for prices as high as 150,000 rubles per metric ton, contrasting with regulator expectations for prices to align more closely with domestic market rates.
As of August 13, Russian AI-92 gasoline was trading at around 77,620 rubles per ton, although prices can vary significantly depending on the supplier and delivery location. InfoTEK's analysis suggests that imported gasoline could incur costs of approximately 146,600 rubles per ton once freight, port handling, excise duties, and VAT are factored in. This pricing dynamic raises concerns that selling at current domestic prices could lead to financial losses unless there is governmental compensation involved.
In response to refinery outages that reduced gasoline production to about 65% of the typical summer consumption by early July, Russia has sought alternative fuel sources from Morocco, India, and other suppliers. Additionally, Moscow has implemented restrictions on fuel exports and has ramped up supplies from Belarus and Kazakhstan to counteract the shortfall.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
