Croatian pipeline operator JANAF and Hungarian energy company MOL have agreed to initiate long-term capacity testing of the JANAF pipeline, with oversight by an independent international monitoring team. The initiative aims to provide a data-driven assessment of the system’s actual transport potential, resolving years of conflicting claims regarding throughput limits.
The stress testing process will evaluate how the pipeline performs under peak demand and sustained operations across different seasons and weather conditions. According to MOL, objective measurements are necessary to reconcile previously cited annual capacity estimates—ranging from 11 to 15 million tons—with historically lower transport volumes recorded on certain sections of the pipeline.
Discussions remain unresolved regarding the transit of Russian crude shipments arriving by sea. MOL has requested confirmation that such cargoes can move through the system in compliance with European Union sanctions. JANAF has reportedly sought additional time to interpret EU regulations and confirm compliance with both EU and US sanctions frameworks.
MOL argues that requiring individual permits for each shipment would create administrative barriers and disrupt continuous supply. The company maintains that transit should be permitted if neither the transporter nor the cargo appears on official sanctions lists, especially when alternative routes such as the Druzhba pipeline are unavailable. MOL also raised concerns over transit tariffs, claiming that fees charged through JANAF exceed average European rates per 100 kilometers, raising questions about market competitiveness.
The debate underscores the strategic importance of diversified supply routes in Central and Southeastern Europe. MOL continues to advocate for maintaining at least two fully functional and commercially viable oil corridors in the region. While emphasizing the need for JANAF’s infrastructure to meet operational expectations, the company also supports enhancing alternative connections, including initiatives to link the Druzhba system to Black Sea routes via a potential revival of the Odessa-Brody pipeline.
