Recent investigative reports reveal that Morocco has emerged as a critical hub for transporting Russian petroleum products to markets officially closed off by Western sanctions following the invasion of Ukraine.
Geneva-based trader at the heart of the operation
Investigations indicate that by 2025, Morocco had become the largest importer of Russian fuel in North Africa. This shift was facilitated by a little-known Geneva-based trading firm, Alvari SA, which orchestrated multimillion-dollar shipments of Russian oil products. Three tankers—Tranquil Sea, Duke II, and Eldia—were reportedly used to transport fuel from Russian Baltic ports to Morocco’s Jorf Lasfar and Mohammedia terminals.
The case of the Tranquil Sea highlights the elaborate tactics employed to obscure the origins of these shipments. British sanctions lists placed the vessel on their registry in October 2025 while it was en route to Morocco. Shortly after, both the European Union and Switzerland imposed their own restrictions on the ship. Ukrainian defense authorities allege the tanker had previously been used as a platform for spying on NATO military and aerial operations, while Finnish authorities detained it under suspicion of damaging an undersea cable. Alvari SA has denied any direct or indirect involvement in chartering or operating these vessels, according to legal representatives contacted during the investigation.
Fuel falsely labeled as Turkmenistani
To disguise the true origin of the fuel, reports suggest that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Cyprus issued a falsified certificate of origin, falsely attributing a diesel shipment to Turkmenistan. This deception involved a transshipment operation at sea near Gibraltar under the guise of Off Port Limits (OPL) procedures—logistical maneuvers typically reserved for minor tasks but misused here to conceal high-risk fuel transfers.
Financially, transactions were conducted in US dollars between Attijariwafa Bank—controlled by the royal holding Al Mada—on the buyer’s side and the Tangier-based offshore branch of the Popular Bank on the supplier’s end. Local distributors reportedly secured a discount of around seven dollars per metric ton compared to the European benchmark price, while non-Russian fuels were trading 15 dollars above this benchmark. This amounted to savings of approximately 22 dollars per ton, profits that were not passed on to consumers at the pump.
The diplomatic dimension of this trade became evident when, as the Tranquil Sea approached Morocco, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita traveled to Moscow to meet with Russian counterpart Sergueï Lavrov. This diplomatic engagement preceded a United Nations Security Council vote on the Western Sahara issue, where Russia ultimately abstained—a move that aligned with Morocco’s interests.
Spain raises alarms over suspected rerouting
Spanish media has documented a parallel trend: a surge in Spanish diesel imports originating from Morocco. Industry insiders suspect a triangular trade scheme allowing Russia to sell its sanctioned fuel within the European Union, leveraging Morocco’s lack of refining capacity to obscure the true origin of the products.
Reports cite data from Kpler, a maritime intelligence firm, showing that Morocco imported 645,000 tons of Russian diesel in 2025, a figure that rose to 489,000 tons in early 2026—representing 45% of the country’s total fuel imports. Notably, Morocco did not export any diesel to Spain prior to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent EU sanctions.
The resumption of these flows coincides with escalating tensions in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Data from Spain’s Strategic Petroleum Reserves Corporation indicates that 76,000 tons of diesel from Morocco arrived in Spain between March and April 2026, following nearly a year of negligible trade. Multiple shipments were tracked at ports in Tarragona, Barcelona, and Bilbao between April and June of the same year.
Spanish refiners have expressed concerns over the potential impact on market competition. A representative of the Spanish Association of Fuel Industries (AICE) emphasized the need to combat fraud in the hydrocarbons sector, warning that imports of potentially illicit fuels could distort fair competition.
Converging investigations reveal a shadow trade network
Combining findings from both investigations paints a clear picture: Russian fuel, rebranded en route, passes through Morocco before, according to Spanish reports, being partially rerouted into the European Union. While neither investigation claims to possess definitive proof that every shipment follows this exact path, both rely on strong circumstantial evidence. This includes maritime tracking data from Kpler, customs documentation, and testimonies from industry professionals. However, tracing the precise origin of refined products once they enter global trade networks remains a persistent challenge.
