Abicom states that importers’ search for alternatives to the Brazilian market does not constitute an illegal practice
A Brazilian Association of Fuel Importers published this Thursday (March 19, 2026) a clarification note refuting the statement of Magda Chambriardin which the leader stated that fuel importers would be diverting ships initially contracted to supply Brazil. Here’s the whole thing.
“Any logistical redirections do not constitute a deviation in an irregular direction, but rather commercial decisions typical of an open and competitive market”, states the association in a note.
Magda said on Wednesday (18 March 2026) that the state-owned company’s competitive intelligence monitored 6 of these ships and that some of them, upon approaching the Brazilian coast, would have changed route to other countries.
Abicom’s note mentions the repercussion of the interview in the press. According to the association, the redirection of fuel loads to other countries cannot be treated as an illegal practice.
The statement also states that the current context is a significant increase in the international prices of oil and oil products, which has widened the difference between the values practiced in Brazil and abroad.
This scenario makes imports economically disadvantageous for the Brazilian market, according to Abicom. In its daily parity report, the entity reported this Thursday (19th March) that the diesel sold by Petrobras was, on average, 57% below import parity, with an average gap of R$2.06 per liter.
“It is important to highlight that Brazil operates under a liberalized fuel market model, in which multiple agents — including Petrobras, importers and distributors — act independently”, he states in a note.
Since May 2023, with the end of the PPI (International Parity Price Policy), Petrobras no longer exclusively follows the international oil price and exchange rate variations when defining fuel prices. It started to adopt its own commercial strategy.
