Four industry sources said that Belarus plans to export gasoline via Russia’s Ust-Luga port this month amid its dispute with the EU.
Belarusian Oil Co. will ship 37,000 tonnes of gasoline being bought by Vitol from its Mozyr refinery via Ust-Luga port in October. The route is still a test, it is still unclear if more Belarusian cargoes would follow.
The shipment would be Belarusian export via the Russian port since January 2018.
Previously in September, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said that there was a possibility for Belarus to redirect 4 million to 6 million tonnes of oil products through Russian ports. The two countries have been holding discussions regarding the diversion of Belarusian oil products through Russian ports, although this has not previously translated into any long-term shift.
In 2017, Russian President Vladimir Putin had also said that Belarusian products produced from Russian oil should be exported through Russian ports. Traders also said that in December of that year, Belarusia’s Belneftekhim also announced the signing of a contract to export 72,000 tonnes of products via Russian ports but only one 37,000-tonne cargo took that route.
Normally, Belarus sent its gasoline abroad via the Lithuanian port of Klaipeda and Ventspils in Latvia, both in EU countries on the Baltic. The country also supplied some motor fuels to Ukraine, which borders EU countries.
