Montenegro has relaunched a public procurement procedure for the purchase of 16,500 metric tons of diesel fuel, equivalent to roughly 19.6 million liters, as part of efforts to establish mandatory oil reserves. The estimated contract value stands at 11 million euros.
The tender specifies the acquisition of EN 590 diesel with strict origin requirements. The fuel must not be derived from crude oil sourced from the Russian Federation. Additionally, if produced in a third country that was not a net exporter of crude oil in 2024 (per IEA data), the diesel must be no older than 60 days.
A previous tender launched in December 2025 was annulled after the sole bid, submitted by Jugopetrol, failed to meet formal requirements. Under the new procedure, fuel quality will be verified prior to unloading at the Port of Bar, with laboratory analysis confirming compliance with national and European standards, including MEST EN 590 and Montenegro’s rulebook on the quality control of liquid petroleum fuels. Certification will be issued by an independent Type A inspection body accredited under MEST EN ISO/IEC 17020.
The diesel must meet the latest EN 590 specification, including a sulfur content capped at 10 ppm and a cold filter plugging point (CFPP) of no more than -15°C. Visual inspection must confirm the fuel is clear, free of water, and without sediment.
The procurement volume is capped at 16,500 metric tons and limited by the 11 million euro budget. Bids may be submitted until 11 March 2026, with authorities shortening the deadline due to the urgency of fulfilling Montenegro’s legal obligation to establish compulsory oil reserves. Meeting this requirement is a key benchmark for closing Chapter 15 (Energy) in EU accession negotiations.
Urgency is also driven by a storage agreement signed on 4 December 2025, which may be terminated by the storage provider after six months if no delivery of reserves is announced. Delivery to storage facilities can begin only 60 days after the final decision on the winning bidder becomes effective.
Because Montenegro’s state-owned storage facilities operated by MontenegroBonus have not yet been upgraded, diesel reserves will initially be held in storage owned by Jugopetrol. Montenegro adopted the Law on Security of Supply of Petroleum Products at the end of 2024, establishing the legal framework for mandatory reserves. Under the legislation, the state is responsible for securing 60% of the required reserves, while private fuel distributors, including Jugopetrol, INA, and Petrol, must provide the remaining 40% collectively.
