Russia has imported a seaborne cargo of around 30,000 metric tonnes of AI-92 gasoline from Morocco, two industry sources told Reuters, as authorities seek to stabilise the domestic fuel market following refinery disruptions.
The cargo was loaded in mid-July at the Moroccan port of Tangier onto a Panama-flagged tanker and is currently being discharged at the Arctic port of Murmansk, the sources said, adding that Lukoil acted as the supplier.
The shipment forms part of a broader set of measures introduced by Moscow to address fuel shortages and price volatility triggered by repeated Ukrainian drone attacks on oil refineries. These measures include rail imports of gasoline from Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as a temporary ban on fuel exports.
Data from the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange (SPIMEX) show that AI-92 gasoline is being offered for rail delivery from Kola station, which serves the Murmansk port, indicating efforts to redistribute imported supplies across the domestic market.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said in mid-July that Russia would begin importing oil products to help stabilise the market amid supply disruptions caused by refinery outages and rising demand.
Reuters has previously reported, citing sources, that Russia also began importing gasoline from India by sea.
By early July, Russia’s gasoline production had dropped to around 65% of average summer consumption levels due to outages at major refineries following intensified drone attacks in recent months.
The decline in output prompted authorities to impose restrictions on gasoline sales in several regions, underscoring the strain on domestic fuel supplies.
By Tamilla Hasanova
