Supplies of Kazakhstan oil to the PCK refinery in Schwedt (Brandenburg, Germany) may be partially redirected through the Polish port of Gdansk as early as May. This is due to the decision of the Russian Federation to halt the transit of Kazakh raw materials to this refinery via the Druzhba pipeline.
This is reported by Finway
Searching for Alternative Supply Routes
Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke expressed confidence that the PCK refinery will continue to be adequately supplied with oil. According to him, supplies are already guaranteed at 80% for May. The regional authorities plan to compensate for the loss of imports following the cessation of transit from Russia, considering the maritime route through Gdansk as the main alternative.
“Brandenburg’s Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (SPD) is confident that the PCK refinery in Schwedt (Uckermark region) will continue to be sufficiently supplied with crude oil. According to him, supplies are secured at 80% for May”
Brandenburg’s Minister of Economy Martina Clement confirmed that all parties are actively working on finding alternatives, and additional supplies through Gdansk have become one of the key directions. These efforts are supported by the federal government of Germany: State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy Frank Wetzel emphasized that the government is accompanying the process of replacing lost oil through alternative channels.
Impact on Energy Security and Regional Market
The Kazakh side announced its intention to transport about 260,000 tons of oil, which were previously intended for Schwedt, through Russian ports, although the exact final delivery point is not specified. The PCK refinery in Schwedt plays an important role in supplying fuel to northeastern Germany, including Berlin, as well as parts of Poland. In 2025, the facility processed 2.15 million tons of Kazakhstan oil – about 20% of the total supply to the plant.
Previously, the majority of the raw materials came through the port of Rostock (approximately 60%) and through Gdansk (about 20%). It is expected that the share of imports through the Polish port will significantly increase after the cessation of transit through the Russian Federation.
Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy Yerlan Akkenzhenov confirmed that during May, the transit of oil through Russia to Germany will not take place due to technical limitations from the RF. According to the minister, the Russian side cites a lack of technical capability for pumping oil; however, Akkenzhenov himself suggests that the suspension is related to recent strikes on Russian infrastructure.