The Algerian government appears set to resurrect its commercial agreement with Spain, having stopped trade in June 2022 following a political dispute, prompting the potential renewal of urea shipments between the countries.
The return of trade between Algeria and Spain is increasingly likely, as tensions between the countries ease. Algeria announced an end to its side of a 2002 co-operation agreement with Spain in June 2022 following a dispute related to the Western Sahara.
Details regarding the expected renewal of the agreement are scant so far, and Spanish importers are unclear as to how and when trade can return. The potential restart of urea shipments is only likely to emerge after the start of 2025, as suppliers will have to wait for fresh export licences with Spain listed as a permitted destination, traders said. Trading firms are typically granted annual export licences before the start of each year.
Algeria was the largest supplier of urea to Spain in 2021, accounting for a third of the 1mn t imported that year. Egypt has since taken Algeria's market share, with its exports making up just over 40pc of Spanish urea imports so far this year.
Algeria has 3.6mn t/yr of granular urea capacity, with AOA operating two 1.2mn t/yr plants and Sorfert the remaining 1.2mn t/yr facility.
