Rwanda and Kenya celebrated the arrival of the MT Sea Wolf, carrying the Rwanda National Energy Company's (RNEC) maiden cargo of 40,000 tonnes of refined petroleum products at the Kenya Pipeline Company's Kipevu Oil Terminal 2 (KOT2).

ALSO READ: Rwanda, Kenya sign deal for petroleum importation through Northern Corridor

The ceremony was presided over by Armand Zingiro, Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure and James Opiyo Wandayi, Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum.

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The fuel arrival activated the new route through which Rwanda will import bulk refined petroleum products through the Northern Corridor.

Zingiro said the move marks the culmination of a shared vision between Rwanda and Kenya to strengthen energy security through regional cooperation.

"This new route through the Northern Corridor will give Rwanda a reliable and cost-effective way to import refined petroleum products our economy depends on. We thank our Kenyan counterparts for their partnership in bringing this framework to life," he said.

The Kenyan Cabinet Secretary also hailed the cooperation.

"This is a proud milestone for Kenya and for our partnership with Rwanda. The arrival of this maiden cargo through Kipevu is the practical result of nearly three years of close collaboration between our two governments, and it confirms Kenya's position as an important logistics gateway for the region. We remain committed to working with Rwanda to ensure this route delivers reliable, efficient and secure energy supplies for years to come," Wandayi said.

The activation is the outcome of a framework developed by the two governments to re-establish the Northern Corridor as a key route for Rwanda's refined petroleum imports, capitalising on Kenya's port infrastructure, pipeline network and logistics ecosystem.

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The framework is underpinned by a Memorandum of Understanding between Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum (MoEP) and Rwanda's Ministry of Trade and Industry, signed on June 29.

It also includes a Tripartite Agreement involving the two ministries and the Rwanda National Energy Company, as well as a Transport and Storage Agreement between the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) and RNEC covering the transportation, storage, scheduling and handling of Rwanda's petroleum imports through Kenya's pipeline and terminal infrastructure.

The two governments said they regard the arrangement as a "practical demonstration of regional integration" under the East African Community and the African Continental Free Trade Area, which is expected to strengthen regional energy security, improve supply chain efficiency and reduce logistical costs for Rwanda's petroleum sector.

The Rwanda National Energy Company was established this year to strengthen the country's energy security and support a reliable and resilient energy supply chain.

The company works with governments, regional partners and private-sector stakeholders to secure and diversify energy supplies, develop strategic infrastructure and unlock opportunities across the energy sector.

In July, Eric Herbez Mutanganda, Chairperson of the Rwanda Association of Petroleum Products Importers (ASSIMPER), said the new arrangement would give importers greater flexibility by extending the storage period in Kenya from about 30 days to 60 days.

This allows importers to bring products into Rwanda when needed while the country continues expanding its own fuel storage infrastructure.

Mutanganda said the arrangement also reduces the risks associated with relying on a single transport corridor.

"Previously, about 90 to 95 per cent of our petroleum products came through one corridor. Now we will use two. If one route is disrupted, we have another option. That will ultimately benefit the local fuel market," he said.