According to the Ministry of Energy, this measure is preventive in nature and aims to ensure the continuity of petroleum product supplies amid the rapidly deteriorating situation on international markets and logistical disruptions affecting the entire region. The decision allows Moldovan authorities to intervene more quickly to maintain market functioning and prevent potential disruptions in fuel supplies. The need to introduce high alert regime stems from the convergence of several risk factors affecting regional energy security. On international markets, Platts diesel fuel prices have risen rapidly, returning to a level of approximately $1,300 per metric ton, compared to $880–900 per metric ton in mid-June. At the same time, the price of Brent crude has exceeded $100 per barrel, putting additional pressure on import costs. Concurrently, the conflict in the Middle East and attacks on shipping routes in the Red Sea have disrupted global supply chains, forcing carriers to use longer and more expensive alternative routes. Shipping times have increased to four weeks, and logistics costs have risen significantly. The situation is further exacerbated by a regional diesel fuel shortage caused by the suspension of Kazakhstani oil shipments through the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal near Novorossiysk, restrictions on re-exports in Bulgaria, and disruptions to oil infrastructure in the Black Sea region. At the same time, low water levels in the Danube are limiting barge capacity to about half of normal levels and restricting access by large-tonnage seagoing vessels to the port of Giurgiulești, which has led to the rerouting of a significant portion of logistics flows to road transport. As a result of these events, commercial diesel fuel stocks in Moldova have fallen from the equivalent of 17.6 days of consumption at the end of June to 6.9 days, requiring careful management of available resources. In addition, on July 27, 53 gas stations across the country ran out of diesel fuel. Having declared state of high alert, the authorities are implementing a series of measures aimed at ensuring the continuity of supplies and the functioning of the market. These include increasing the flexibility of pricing mechanisms to reflect actual import costs, prioritizing customs clearance for petroleum products, and establishing “green corridors” at the border to expedite deliveries. Measures will also be taken to prevent speculative purchases and maintain uninterrupted supplies to gas stations. It has been agreed that exports from the port of Giurgiulești will be permitted only on the condition that minimum domestic reserves of 7,500 metric tons of diesel fuel and 2,500 metric tons of gasoline are maintained for the domestic market. “It is important to take proactive measures to prevent a diesel fuel shortage in the market, especially now, in the midst of the agricultural season, and to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies to the country,” said Prime Minister Vasile Tofan. The National Commission for Crisis Management will coordinate the strategic measures adopted during the period of high alert, while the Ministry of Energy will coordinate sector-specific response measures and continuously monitor market conditions. Currently, thanks to the domestic price regulation mechanism, prices for petroleum products in Moldova are the lowest in the region, but this creates the risk of trade flows being redirected to other markets during periods of regional shortages. The measures approved by the government are aimed at reducing this risk and ensuring stable supplies to consumers in Moldova. // 28.07.2026 — InfoMarket.