Montenegro is preparing a new round of strategic fuel purchases in 2026, allocating between €9 and €12 million to secure additional diesel supplies as part of its mandatory reserve system. The plan envisions acquiring roughly 12,000 to 16,000 tons of diesel, with final volumes and costs dependent on market prices and available funding.
Government estimates are based on an indicative diesel price of €750 per ton. The procurement framework was approved alongside the country’s fuel procurement program for 2026 and reflects obligations under a recently adopted law aligned with European Union standards, which requires reserves sufficient to cover three months of consumption in case of supply disruptions. Deliveries from this procurement are scheduled for December 2026, with the fuel intended to be stored at state-owned oil terminals in the Adriatic port of Bar, which are set for urgent refurbishment. Once upgraded, the facilities are expected to provide storage capacity of around 17,600 cubic meters.
If the refurbishment works are not completed on time, authorities have outlined contingency options, including temporary storage at terminals operated by local distributor Jugopetrol, a subsidiary of Hellenic Energy, or arranging storage abroad, primarily in Croatia or Italy. Storage costs at third-party facilities are estimated at about €5 per ton per month.
In parallel, Montenegro has launched a separate procurement worth €11 million for up to 16,500 tons of EN 590 diesel, with delivery planned for April 2026. This batch will be stored for three years at Jugopetrol’s terminals in Bar. Private-sector fuel importers have already covered a significant portion of the country’s reserve requirements. Companies such as Jugopetrol, INA, and Petrol have collectively secured around 40% of the 2025 reserves, leaving the remaining share to be provided by the state.
To fund the buildup of strategic stocks, the government introduced a surcharge of €0.03 per liter on fuel sales in early 2025. This levy will remain in place until 2029, after which it is expected to be reduced to €0.02 per liter to finance ongoing maintenance of the reserve system.