#US_Israel_war_on_Iran #diesel-supply_routes_from_Russia_to_Morocco
An investigation by Africa Intelligence reveals diesel supply routes from Russia to Morocco that rely on non-transparent mechanisms and deliberately complex shipping routes.
Between ship-to-ship transfers, changes in vessel identities, and ambiguous origin documents, these operations illustrate strategies to circumvent sanction regimes, without formally constituting a violation of them. However, they expose the parties involved – traders, carriers, and financial institutions – to increased risks, particularly regarding secondary sanctions and the traceability of flows.
At the heart of these operations is a Geneva-based trading company, Alvari SA, whose activities and logistical networks have remained largely out of the spotlight. According to collected data, several shipments of ultra-low sulfur fuel oil have passed through Russian terminals on the Baltic Sea heading to Moroccan ports, notably Jorf Lasfar and Mohammedia.
These shipments were carried out by tankers with atypical trajectories and statuses, such as the Tranquil Sea, a vessel subject to sanctions by British, European, and Swiss authorities, and suspected of transport practices considered high-risk. According to Africa Intelligence, the tanker was loaded in October 2025 at the port of Vysotsk, belonging to the Lukoil group, and arrived off the Moroccan coast in early December, before continuing to other ports.
Other vessels, such as the Eldia and the Duke II, have also been used in similar operations involving larger quantities. In these various cases, Alvari SA appears as a commercial party, although the company denies any direct operational role in chartering or managing the vessels, presenting itself as an independent intermediary.
Founded in 2015 and backed by a structure registered in the United Arab Emirates, Alvari SA is now controlled by Swiss trader of Russian origin Dmitri Bykhovski, according to the same source. The company relies on profiles from major trading groups like Trafigura and Glencore, and also operates through entities based in Dubai. It also has a subsidiary in Russia active in grain trading.
Africa Intelligence’s investigations describe logistical patterns aimed at obscuring the origin of shipments. Some operations rely on ship-to-ship transfers, supported by intermediary companies based in Cyprus or Dubai. Commercial documents consulted mention alternative origins, including Turkmen, for shipments actually loaded in Russian ports.
As for financial circuits, leading Moroccan institutions are involved. Dollar transactions have been identified between local distributors and banks such as Attijariwafa Bank or the Banque Centrale Populaire, although these institutions have declined to comment on the reported information.
The economic benefit of these imports is also highlighted. Moroccan operators reportedly benefited from favorable pricing conditions on Russian diesel, with significant differences compared to European market prices. A price differential that, according to compiled data, was not passed on to pump prices.
Beyond the commercial aspects, the investigation highlights the diplomatic ties and balances underpinning these energy flows. It particularly emphasizes the coincidence between some shipments and political exchanges between Rabat and Moscow, illustrated by the meeting between Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in the fall of 2025. Undeniably, the rapprochement between the two countries is evident. The best illustration: on October 31, 2025, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2797 with 11 votes in favor and 3 abstentions, including that of Russia, a country that Algeria prides itself on being a loyal ally of.
With Le Matin d’Algérie
