Catalonia's service stations have registered a significant increase in fuel prices since last weekend. Diesel has risen 20 cents and gasoline 16 cents in just four days, according to the Catalan petrol stations' employers' association, Agrucaes.
The conflict in the Middle East shoots up prices
The main cause of this rise is the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in Iran, a measure taken in retaliation for the attacks by the United States and Israel. Through this maritime passage circulates 20% of all world oil, which has provoked an immediate reaction in international markets and, consequently, in fuel prices in Catalonia.
Since Sunday, the increases have been daily and staggered, with the forecast that prices will continue to rise on Thursday. The employers' association expects the escalation to peak by the end of the week, although uncertainty persists while tension remains in the area.
"Tomorrow it will surely keep rising" - Albert Campabadal, president of the Catalan gas station employers' association
Impact on the supply and accumulation of vehicles
Between Monday and Tuesday, a greater accumulation of vehicles has been detected at service stations, especially in metropolitan areas and access roads to Barcelona, Girona and Tarragona. The supply has become particularly strained in diesel heating systems and tanks for trucks, where the price increase is more pronounced.
Albert Campabadal, president of Agrucaes, has pointed out that the current situation, although worrying, is not as serious as the one experienced after the outbreak of the war in Ukraine. Then, the dependence on Russia was greater and the impact was more severe on the sector as a whole.
"Currently there is a lot of diversification of supplies and what reaches us from the Persian Gulf is between 10% and 20%, so the impact is less than then" - Albert Campabadal, president of the Catalan petrol station employers' association
The international tension has immediately moved to the Catalan pumps. The sector remains attentive to the evolution of the conflict and to the response of the markets in the coming days.