Government Approves Mandatory Fuel Reserves and Restricts Diesel Exports

The Moldovan government has approved a package of emergency measures, including mandatory minimum fuel reserves and restrictions on diesel exports, as part of a nationwide state of heightened preparedness in the energy sector. The Ministry of Energy said the measures are aimed at preventing fuel shortages on the domestic market amid disruptions to regional supply chains, declining commercial fuel stocks, and rising prices on international markets, ipn.md reports. Under the approved plan, mandatory minimum fuel reserves will be established at the Giurgiulesti International Free Port, consisting of 2,500 tons of gasoline and 7,500 tons of diesel fuel, reserved exclusively for domestic consumption. Fuel importers may also receive temporary relief from certain financial obligations, while exports and re-exports of diesel fuel may be restricted to ensure adequate supplies for the domestic market. According to the explanatory note accompanying the project, the global oil market entered a period of heightened volatility in July due to escalating tensions in the Middle East. These developments disrupted maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, two critical routes for global oil and petroleum product trade. Regional fuel supplies have also been affected by attacks on oil infrastructure in the Black Sea basin and the temporary suspension of operations at the Port of Novorossiysk. At the same time, the interruption of crude oil shipments from Kazakhstan to the Black Sea has created difficulties for Romania’s Petromidia refinery, Moldova’s principal supplier of fuel. Another contributing factor is the low water level in the Danube River, which has reduced river transport capacity and limited access to the Giurgiulesti International Free Port. As a result, fuel imports are increasingly being redirected to road and rail transport, raising logistics costs and extending delivery times. The Ministry of Energy warned that Moldova remains heavily dependent on imported petroleum products. For August, economic operators have secured contracts for only about 12,000 tons of diesel fuel, representing roughly 17% of the country’s estimated monthly demand of 70,000 tons. The remaining shortfall could lead to a serious diesel shortage during the peak agricultural season and the summer period. According to the document, commercial diesel reserves declined from the equivalent of 17.6 days of consumption at the end of June to just 6.9 days as of July 24. Over the same period, the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) recorded an increase in the number of filling stations that had run out of diesel, indicating that supply risks have moved into an operational phase. The state of heightened preparedness in the energy sector has been introduced for an initial period of 30 days.