Israel’s Oil Trade With Azerbaijan Through Turkey’s Ceyhan Terminal Flourishes Despite Ankara’s Boycott

Data from analytics firms Kpler and Vortexa show that volumes of Azerbaijani oil reaching Israel from Turkey’s Ceyhan terminal rose 31% from a year earlier to an average of 94,000 barrels per day, the largest flow since 2022.

By Shula Rosen

Israel’s intake of Azerbaijani crude routed through Turkey’s Ceyhan terminal climbed to its highest level in three years in 2025, according to ship-tracking data, even as Ankara maintains that trade with Israel has ceased over the war in Gaza, Reuters reports.

Data from analytics firms Kpler and Vortexa show that volumes of Azerbaijani oil reaching Israel from Ceyhan rose 31% from a year earlier to an average of 94,000 barrels per day, the largest flow since 2022. Azerbaijani supply widened its lead over Russia, which ranked as Israel’s second-largest source of crude.

Official Turkish figures state that commercial exchange with Israel has been at zero since June 2024, when Turkey imposed a ban in response to Israel’s war against Hamas terrorists.

Ankara said in November 2024 that exporters operating through Ceyhan “respected its decision to end trade with Israel” and that cargoes were not being loaded with Israel as their declared destination.

Maritime data suggest a different pattern in practice. Analysts at Kpler and Vortexa say tankers departing Ceyhan frequently disable tracking systems and signal alternative destinations while ultimately delivering cargo to Israeli ports.

Vortexa cited the Aframax tanker Valfoglia, which loaded 680,000 barrels of Azerbaijani Light at Ceyhan and discharged in Israel on January 7 after indicating a position offshore Egypt or Cyprus.

Turkey’s Energy Ministry referred inquiries to a 2024 statement that state pipeline operator BOTAS was not involved in the sale of Azerbaijani oil and does not control where the crude is ultimately sold.

Azerbaijani crude accounted for 46.4% of Israel’s oil imports in 2025, the largest share of the decade. Russia supplied roughly 28%. Imports from Nigeria more than doubled, while shipments from Brazil, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo, which together made up over 10% of supply in 2024, dropped to zero.

Israel’s Energy and Infrastructure Ministry said it does not comment on the origin of oil imports and accused Turkey of disregarding international agreements by enforcing the trade ban.