How much oil will Mol transport through Janaf in 2026?

The contracted volume is 2.05 million tons of crude oil for the entire year 2026.

What does the "ship-or-pay" principle mean?

It is a contractual obligation (Take or Pay) under which the buyer pays for the contracted transport capacity regardless of whether it is actually used.

Why did the Janaf-Mol negotiations have a political dimension?

After Ukraine restricted the transit of Russian oil, Croatia became an alternative route, and Viktor Orbán's government made accusations of war profiteering.

Who is the head of Janaf?

The head of the Adriatic Pipeline is Stjepan Adanić.

Economy

Janaf and Mol Agree on Transport of 2.05 Million Tons of Oil Through End of 2026

E.K. · Prije 2h | 2 min

Months-long negotiations, marked by political tensions and accusations of war profiteering, concluded with the signing of a contract valid for the entire year.

Summary

Janaf and Mol signed a contract for the transport of 2.05 million tons of oil for the entire year 2026.
The contract is based on the "ship-or-pay" principle, guaranteeing payment for capacity regardless of actual usage.
Months-long negotiations were accompanied by Mol's accusations of high prices and political tensions between Croatia and Hungary.
Croatia became a key alternative route for supplying Hungary after restrictions on Russian oil transit through Ukraine.

The Adriatic Pipeline (Janaf) announced on Saturday that it has signed a contract with Hungarian oil company Mol for the transport of 2.05 million tons of crude oil for the period from January 1 to the end of December 2026. The contract is based on the "ship-or-pay" principle, meaning the buyer pays for the contracted transport capacity regardless of whether it is actually used.

After a lengthy period of negotiations between the two parties, which also involved a significant political aspect, the talks were finally brought to a close. As stated in Janaf's press release, the signing process has been completed, and the contract confirms and defines all elements of the business relationship that began with implementation on January 1, 2026.

Disputes Over Prices and Reliability

Mol has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with the price of Janaf's services, deeming them too high. It also challenged the technical capabilities of the Croatian company, claiming that Janaf is an unreliable partner for meeting the needs of Mol's refineries.

Janaf firmly denied these accusations. They emphasized that prices are set transparently and equally for all pipeline users, and that they depend on the length of the section and the contracted volumes of oil. The company, led by Stjepan Adanić, stressed that leasing larger capacities would lower the transport price for Mol.

Political Background and Accusations from Hungary

The negotiations took place at a sensitive geopolitical moment. After Ukraine restricted the transit of Russian oil via the Druzhba pipeline, Croatia became a key alternative route for supplying Hungary. Accusations then began to emerge from the government of then-Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, targeting Croatia for "war profiteering" and exploiting the fact that Hungary's overland supply of crude oil had become significantly more difficult due to sanctions on Russia.