BAKU. Azerbaijan. May 3. Kazakh producers of marine fuel are losing positions in the markets of Kyrgyzstan and Russia due to price competition with Russian diesel fuel.
Timur Batrymbetov, general director of Aktobe Refinery, said this in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of the Caspian and Central Asian Forum on Oil Trade and Logistics in Baku.
“We used to supply marine fuel to Russia and Kyrgyzstan, but now these markets are occupied by cheaper Russian diesel. We simply cannot withstand the price competition,” he noted.
According to him, this seriously complicates product sales, despite the fact that fuel produced in Aktobe meets all international standards, including a sulfur content of no more than 0.1 percent.
“Our marine fuel is high-quality gasoil. But when there is a
major player in the market with dumping prices, private refineries
have to look for alternative sales channels. We want to offer it to
the Caspian region - through the port of Aktau and local
bunkerers,” Batrymbetov added.
He also emphasized that under the current circumstances, a more
flexible export policy and possible coordination of actions of the
state and private sector to protect domestic producers are
needed.
On April 24 and 25, Baku hosted the Caspian and Central Asian Forum on Oil Trade and Logistics. The forum became an important platform for discussing trade, logistics, oil refining, and petrochemicals in the Caspian and Central Asian region.
