Africa’s largest oil refinery, Dangote Refinery, has achieved a significant milestone with the successful shipment of its first jet fuel cargo to Europe.

This marks another first for the new complex, which has been rapidly scaling up production since its launch in April 2023.

The inaugural shipment, loaded onto the “Doric Breeze” vessel, departed from the Lekki Free Zone in Lagos on May 27^th and is currently en route to Rotterdam, Netherlands, according to S&P Global Commodities at Sea data.

The cargo, containing 45,000 metric tons of jet fuel, was awarded to BP as part of a 120,000-metric-ton tender offered by the refinery. Spanish refiner Cepsa also secured a portion of the tender and is expected to deliver jet fuel to the continent soon.

The jet fuel shipment to Europe is just the latest milestone achieved in the last few months. Dangote has already exported six jet fuel/kerosene cargoes, all delivered to Senegal, Togo or Ghana.

According to S&P, the company is currently projecting its first gasoline supplies . Co begin in June, with ultra low sulphur diesel expected to be eligible for export to Europe by the third quarter.

To date, Dangote has exported naphtha, fuel oil and gasoil to markets in Europe, Africa and Asia, though naphtha exports could soon be curtailed to prepare for gasoline production, a representative for Dangote told Commodity Insights May 20.

Dangote has been seen pushing around four cargoes of naphtha each month to Europe since April, even though volumes could soon be curbed to boost domestic supplies for gasoline blending, once the plant’s fluid catalytic cracker is operational. (BusinessDay)

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