Data from maritime tracking firms Kpler and Vortexa, as well as the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG), cited by energy publication Attaqa on October 18, show that Morocco imported an average of 271,000 barrels per day between January and September, compared with 249,000 barrels per day a year earlier.
US shipments rose to an average of 61,000 barrels per day, up from 25,000 during the first nine months of 2025. The increase put the United States ahead of Russia and Spain as Morocco’s largest supplier of petroleum products transported by sea.
Russia ranked second, with deliveries rising 28% to 50,000 barrels per day from 39,000 a year earlier. Shipments from Spain, by contrast, fell 21%, dropping from 44,000 to 35,000 barrels per day.
Other suppliers also expanded their shipments to Morocco. Deliveries from Turkey rose 120%, from 10,000 to 22,000 barrels per day, while imports from the Netherlands increased fivefold, from 4,000 to 20,000 barrels per day, a gain of 400%.
Together, the five countries accounted for nearly 70% of Morocco’s seaborne petroleum product imports.
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Imports fluctuate throughout the year
Morocco’s import volumes varied considerably from one quarter to another. During the first quarter of 2026, shipments averaged 284,000 barrels per day, up 17% from the same period in 2025. March recorded the highest monthly average, at 349,000 barrels per day.
Volumes then fell to 252,000 barrels per day in the second quarter before recovering to 278,000 in the third quarter, a 7% increase compared with the third quarter of 2025.
In August, arrivals reached 309,000 barrels per day, up 20% year on year and the second-highest monthly level recorded since the start of 2026. Volumes subsequently dropped to 253,000 barrels per day in September.
The increase in imports is linked to greater use of fuel oil and diesel to generate electricity in Morocco. The additional demand for these fuels has helped compensate for reduced natural gas deliveries from Spain, which have been disrupted by the repercussions of the Iran crisis.
Note: These figures cover only petroleum products transported to Morocco by sea and do not represent the country’s total imports.
