02 Dec 2019 | 12:07 UTC — London

SUBSCRIBER NOTE: Platts will change FOB NWE WAF-grade gasoline spec

S&P Global Platts will change the specification reflected in its West Africa Gasoline FOB Northwest Europe assessment (Code: AAKUV00) to 500 ppm Sulfur maximum from the current max 1,000 ppm, with effect from January 2, 2020.

The change will also affect the assessment West Africa Gasoline CIF West Africa (Code: AGNWC00), which is derived as a freight net-forward to West Africa Gasoline FOB Northwest Europe.

The decision follows a change in demand in West Africa. Nigeria, the largest importer of gasoline in the region, recently updated the gasoline specification imported through its Direct Sale/Direct Purchase (DS/DP) mechanism for 2019 and 2020 to a maximum of 500 ppm S from 1,000 ppm S max.

Nigeria typically imports around 1 million mt per month of gasoline and Europe is the largest supply point. Already prior to the change of the specification defined in the DS/DP, grades typically exported from Northwest Europe to Nigeria had been reported to already meet sulfur limits lower than 500 ppm.

Please send any comments and queries to europe_products@platts.com and pricegroup@platts.com by January 2, 2020.

For written comments, please provide a clear indication if comments are not intended for publication by Platts for public viewing. Platts will consider all comments received and will make comments not marked as confidential available upon request.