International Trading

Mabanaft will in future concentrate on wholesaling, service stations, retailing and bunkering as well as the supply optimization of these activities. It will mean exiting the international trading in Houston and Rotterdam.

Physical oil trading is central to Mabanaft’s trading strategy. The company fulfills a real market function here. Yet the oil markets are extremely fast-moving, requiring strategies to be constantly challenged in order to keep abreast of the changing conditions. After thorough consideration, Mabanaft has decided to exit the international trading in Houston and Rotterdam. All internal and external commitments will be completely fulfilled before closing these companies. The Rotterdam-based carbon credit business, however, has a promising future and will be continued.

The reasons for the withdrawal from international trading are mainly the significant changes in the market place and the associated incompatibility of this business with the company’s conservative approach to risk-taking.

Mabanaft Singapore will focus on the regional physical trading business in future and act as a center of expertise for the entire Marquard & Bahls Group in this region.

In line with this strategy, the Mabanaft trading group will concentrate on the classical physical trading in petroleum products. It will also continue to expand its wholesaling, service station, retailing and bunkering businesses. Here the company will draw on its years of experience in this field, its proximity to customers and its first-rate access to tank storage infrastructure.

Press release of March 12, 2012