Shell Signs Renewable Fuel Deal at Morocco Port
Shell Trading Rotterdam agreed to buy sustainable aviation fuel from a planned facility at Morocco's Nador West Med port complex.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Oil and Gas
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Shell Trading Rotterdam signed a long-term agreement with Green Sky Manara LLC to purchase renewable fuels from a planned facility at Morocco's Nador West Med port complex. The deal gives Shell exclusive purchasing rights to approximately 150,000 tonnes annually of sustainable aviation fuel or equivalent hydrotreated vegetable oil.
Why it matters
The agreement links a European energy trader to a new renewable fuels project in North Africa, tied to a port complex that is itself a major public and private investment. For international readers, it signals growing demand for sustainable aviation fuel and a shift in where that supply may be built.
Shell's exclusive purchasing rights cover roughly 150,000 tonnes per year of sustainable aviation fuel, bionaphtha and biopropane. The broader Nador West Med complex represents 54 billion dirhams in combined public and private investment, but the agreement's financial value was not disclosed.
The players
Shell Trading Rotterdam
The Netherlands-based trading subsidiary of energy group Shell, which buys and sells energy products across global markets.
Green Sky Capital
A clean-energy developer whose subsidiary, Green Sky Manara LLC, will supply the renewable fuels under the agreement.
Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan
The Moroccan crown prince who launched operations at the Nador West Med eastern container terminal.
The details
Under the agreement, Green Sky Manara LLC, a subsidiary of clean-energy developer Green Sky Capital, will supply the fuels from a planned facility at the Nador West Med port complex. The complex also includes a 700-hectare industrial and logistics platform and terminals for liquefied natural gas and hydrocarbons.
Timeline
October 31, 2025: Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan launched operations at the eastern container terminal at Nador West Med.
November 2, 2026: Shell announced the long-term fuel purchase agreement.
April 2027: A western terminal is scheduled to open, bringing total capacity to 5.3 million containers.
October 2028: The planned renewable fuels facility is scheduled to begin operations.
2030: The eastern terminal is expected to handle 3.5 million containers.
Market Landscape
The agreement positions Shell to lock in sustainable aviation fuel supply as airlines and fuel traders compete for limited renewable feedstock capacity. Sourcing from a newly built North African facility reflects a broader move by energy companies to diversify where low-carbon fuels are produced.
For consumers, the deal's effect on jet fuel prices or availability is not addressed in the source. Its main practical relevance is to airlines and fuel buyers tracking how quickly sustainable aviation fuel supply will come online.
The takeaway
Long-term offtake agreements like this one can help new low-carbon fuel plants secure buyers before they open. Watching whether the 2028 start date holds will show how quickly new renewable fuel capacity arrives.
What happens next
The western container terminal is scheduled to open in April 2027, and the planned renewable fuels facility is scheduled to begin operations in October 2028.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in the Oil and Gas section.
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