Vitol and Sunoco have taken delivery of the first U. S.-bound gasoline shipment from Nigeria's Dangote refinery, marking a milestone in its global trade profile. The cargo, about 320,000 barrels, was loaded aboard the tanker Gemini Pearl, purchased from Mocoh Oil by Vitol and mostly resold to Sunoco, and discharged at Sunoco's Linden facility in New York Harbor.

Dangote's refinery, the largest single-train facility in Africa with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day, is now proving that its fuel output can meet U. S. regulatory and quality standards. The refinery began operations producing diesel, jet fuel, and naphtha in early 2024 and has been increasing gasoline output since then.

Following this first gasoline export, two more gasoline cargoes are en route to the United States. One, handled by Glencore and sold to Shell, is expected around 19 September aboard the vessel MH Daisen. Another is being loaded via Seaexplorer, expected closer to 22 September.

Market analysts see Dangote's U. S. export as part of a shift in global energy flows. It reduces Nigeria's dependence on importing refined products and allows it to become a supplier of gasoline to markets that were previously difficult to access given strict standards.

Yet, there are anticipated constraints ahead. The refinery's gasoline-producing unit is expected to undergo maintenance, with a possible shutdown lasting two to three months, which may temporarily stall shipments. Supply chain, export channels, and transportation logistics remain under close watch, especially given the tight specifications required by U. S. fuel standards.

Dangote's emergence as a gasoline exporter to the U. S. comes at a time when jet fuel imports from the refinery have already started influencing U. S. fuel markets, raising expectations among traders and downstream players that Dangote might become a regular source.

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