Poland blocks Kazakhstani liquefied gas tankers at EU border

A new trade bottleneck has emerged on the Belarusian-Polish border, where over 100 railway tank cars carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from Kazakhstan have been stranded since late December 2024.

This development follows the European Union's ban on liquefied hydrocarbon gas imports from Russia, which came into effect on December 20, 2024, Caliber.Az reports referring to Kazkah media.

Kazakhstan's LPG shipments have been caught in the crossfire of stringent checks by Polish customs officials. Authorities are demanding extensive documentation to confirm the gas's Kazakhstani origin, aiming to ensure compliance with EU sanctions against Russian imports. These delays have left tank cars idling at Belarusian border stations, including Brest-Centralny, Brest-Vostochny, and Baranavichy-Centralny.

The prolonged delays have disrupted supply chains, creating a significant backlog at the border and affecting the availability of railcars for further shipments. Experts warn that this could hinder Kazakhstan's future LPG exports, potentially causing broader market disruptions.

The Kazakhstani embassy in Brussels has been actively working to resolve the issue, but no breakthrough has been achieved so far.

The EU's sanctions, announced in late 2023, included a one-year transition period before coming into force. However, the enforcement of these rules has highlighted logistical and bureaucratic challenges, exacerbating trade tensions.

This situation mirrors a similar crisis in December 2024 when over 2,100 trucks were stuck at the Kozlovichi checkpoint on the Belarus-Poland border.

By Tamilla Hasanova