Alkagesta Secures Access to NATO CEPS Pipeline to Supply Jet Fuel and SAF across European Hubs

Malta-headquartered commodities trader Alkagesta has secured commercial throughput authorization for the NATO Central European Pipeline System (CEPS), opening the way for direct deliveries of conventional jet fuel and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to major aviation hubs in Northwest Europe, including Brussels Airport and Frankfurt-am-Main. The agreement marks the company's first direct operational move into inland aviation fuel distribution and logistics.

The CEPS network represents NATO's primary petroleum conduit, spanning roughly 5,300 kilometers across Northwest Europe to interconnect key maritime ports, oil refineries, inland storage installations, and military airfields. Established in the late 1950s to guarantee defense fuel logistics, the infrastructure has evolved so that commercial operations now represent approximately 90 percent of its active volume, with commercial participants required to clear extensive compliance audits and high-level due diligence.

Deliveries by Alkagesta under the pipeline arrangement are scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026. The contracted supply will feature a blend consisting of 98 percent conventional kerosene and a 2 percent SAF component, directly assisting commercial airline operators in complying with European Union mandates aimed at integrating lower-carbon aviation fuels and avoiding non-compliance penalties.

Initial throughput via the CEPS pipeline is slated at approximately 1,700 barrels per day. The trading house intends to supplement these direct pipeline flows with an additional 3,400 barrels per day directed toward Northwest European airport facilities through coastal discharge terminals, dedicated road tankers, and supplemental pipeline allocations.

Founded in Malta in 2018, Alkagesta has grown from a regional marine fuel trader in the Mediterranean and Singapore into a multi-commodity operator handling petroleum products, biofuels, steel, and fertilizers, managing an aggregate trading volume of 8.7 million tonnes in 2024. Chief Executive Orkhan Rustamov stated that entry into the CEPS network establishes a major operational milestone for the trading house, expanding its logistical reach into critical European energy distribution channels during a period of heightened focus on continental fuel security.