War in Iran: France is ready to release strategic stocks of kerosene in the event of “volume problems”

For the moment, there is no supply “difficulty”. But France could release part of its strategic stocks of kerosene for airlines in the event of “volume problems”, the government spokesperson said this Sunday.

“There is no shortage as we speak” for road fuels, Maud Bregeon, government spokesperson and Minister for Energy, assured BFMTV. Asked about kerosene, she felt that there was “more tension” even if “as we speak, there is no difficulty”.

“I remind you that France has strategic stocks, around a hundred days of fuel availability that we could have to release if we had volume problems,” added Maud Bregeon. And moreover, these strategic stocks are initially there to overcome volume problems and not price problems. »

Risk of aircraft “cancellations”

Asia in particular, and Europe to a lesser extent, are very dependent on oil and refineries in the Middle East for their supplies. Europe usually imports half of its jet fuel from the Gulf countries. However, since the start of the war between the United States and Iran at the end of February, the strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which nearly 20% of world hydrocarbon production normally passes, has been blocked by Tehran.

In Brussels, European Commissioner Dan Jorgensen estimated that the EU was “very quickly approaching” a potential supply crisis, with the risk of a summer marked by “more expensive plane tickets and cancellations”.

The global professional organization of airlines, Iata, on Friday called on the various regulatory authorities to coordinate and be transparent in the event that “rationing” of kerosene proves necessary, particularly in Europe.