Morocco’s energy transition ministry said petroleum product supplies to ports and the domestic market were continuing normally, seeking to calm concerns over shortages after a sharp rise in pump prices and heavy consumer demand.
A source at the ministry said deliveries by distributors were proceeding “on a regular basis, without any disruption,” which “guarantees the stability of the local market.”
The source told Hespress that fears of supply shortages were often driven by inaccurate information rather than actual market conditions. The person added that the ministry was holding regular meetings with sector operators to track vessel movements, both on departure and during unloading, as global energy tensions fuelled precautionary buying by motorists.
The same source said the Strait of Hormuz remained an important shipping route, but Morocco relied on several import points and had recently reinforced its strategic reserve.
“The strategic reserve stock of petroleum products has been strengthened by cargoes that were already on their way to Morocco and have been fully unloaded,” the source said, adding that the local situation remained “under control, at least for now.” Earlier this month, the ministry said it was monitoring national petroleum stocks daily to secure domestic needs in the best possible conditions.
When asked whether Morocco was meeting the legal requirement to hold 60 days of strategic petroleum stocks, the source did not give a direct answer, saying only that reserves had been reinforced by additional shipments. Hespress reported on March 5, citing an official source, that available stocks covered about 30 days of demand.
Tayeb Benali, vice president of the national federation representing fuel station owners and managers, said oil companies, not station operators, set pump prices and could change them remotely. He also alleged that the nominal 60 day company stock “is not actually available and is not used for the benefit of the consumer,” but rather “is used to set prices, entrench market dominance and multiply profits.” Benali said some stations had run short after suppliers withheld deliveries earlier this month and consumers rushed to buy fuel ahead of the latest increase.b
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