Russia Reroutes Diesel Exports to Morocco as EU Embargo Looms

The European Union (EU), in connection with the G7 countries and Australia, is launching this Sunday, February 5, the second part of its plan, by banning the import of Russian refined petroleum products, mainly diesel but also kerosene, fuel oil or fuel oil. A way for Europe to weaken Russian President Vladimir Putin. To escape this embargo, Russia is rerouting its petroleum products, reports Reuters. Thus, it has increased its diesel deliveries to Morocco and Turkey.

Russian exports reached 735,000 tons in 2022, after only 66,000 tons the previous year, and totaled around 140,000 tons since the beginning of 2023. As for diesel deliveries from Russian ports to Turkey, they increased in December 2022 to more than 750,000 tons and totaled 5.05 million tons in 2022 against 3.99 million tons in 2021. Since the beginning of January, they have reached around 450,000 tons of diesel.

Despite the embargo, Russian diesel and low-sulfur gasoil exports are expected to increase by 5% in February, to reach 4.3 million tons, the British news agency said. In addition to the EU embargo, unfavorable weather conditions are expected to impact Russian diesel deliveries. "Refined product deliveries could be affected by stormy weather in the Black Sea ports of Novorossiysk and Tuapse," said a trader.