MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 26th January, 2020) The first shipment of Norwegian oil has reached its destination in northern Belarus, state oil company Belneftekhim said on Sunday, as Minsk looks for alternatives to energy supplies from Russia.
Belneftekhim spokesman Alexander Tischenko said that 59 tankers carrying about 3,500 tonnes of oil had arrived at the Naftan oil refinery in the Vitebsk region of Belarus, having been transported by sea to Latvia then by rail to Belarus.
Earlier in January, state news agency Belta reported that Belarus has purchased 80,000 tonnes of oil from Norway and is exploring options of finding oil suppliers alternative to Russia amid the oil row with Moscow.
On Friday, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said the Minsk was not rejecting Russian oil but was instead looking to diversify its supplies and explore options with competitive price and quality.
