Who buys sulphur in Morocco?

OCP, the state-owned phosphate producer, at its Jorf Lasfar and Safi chemical complexes. It burns sulphur to sulphuric acid, which turns phosphate rock into phosphoric acid and then DAP, MAP and TSP. There is no merchant sulphur market of any size beside it. It buys on quarterly contracts and spot. CBIL quotes suppliers and traders who hold a named requirement; it does not act on a mandate without a letter from the buyer on its own paper.

How large is the requirement, really?

About 6.7 million t in 2025 and 8.3 million t in 2024. Some published trade tables show double those figures because the same cargoes are recorded under two customs procedures; the country's own trade accounts and the buyer's reported volumes agree on the lower numbers. About half of the 2025 tonnage came from inside the Gulf, roughly 280,000 t a month.

Which origins can replace Gulf sulphur?

The US Gulf, where formers load 35,000 to 40,000 t lots for the Atlantic; the Saudi Red Sea ports, from which a cargo reached Jorf Lasfar in April 2026 and where each lifting is confirmed with the terminal at the time of fixing; Oman's Duqm and Sohar; Mediterranean refiners in small lots; and Vancouver on the long haul. Each offer names the producer and the load port.

What parcel size and form does the port take?

Granular, in Supramax lots of 30,000 to 55,000 t into Jorf Lasfar, where two continuous unloaders work the ship; cargoes for Safi are sized to its shallower berths. Lump is not suited to a port that discharges this much sulphur by mechanical unloader.

Can CBIL also fix the ship?

Yes. Our chartering desk, LaycanDesk, prices Supramax tonnage from the US Gulf, the Red Sea and Vancouver to Jorf Lasfar and Safi, so a CFR and an FOB figure can be shown side by side.

North Africa · Morocco

Granular Sulphur Suppliers CFR Morocco (Jorf Lasfar and Safi)

The largest single sulphur buyer in the world, half of whose supply loaded inside the Gulf

Morocco imported about 6.7 million t of sulphur in 2025 at a landed value of about USD 1.6 billion, some USD 244 per tonne, after a record 8.3 million t in 2024. The UAE supplied 35% of the 2025 tonnage, Saudi Arabia 12%, and Qatar and Kuwait 2% each, so 51% loaded inside the Gulf; Poland and Spain supplied 2% each and the United States 1%. The Strait of Hormuz has been severely restricted since 28 February 2026: loadings inside the Gulf move irregularly and are confirmed cargo by cargo. The buyer is OCP, which burns sulphur to sulphuric acid at Jorf Lasfar and Safi to make phosphoric acid, DAP, MAP and TSP, and which has been adding burners: two new lines came on in 2024 and two more of 5,000 t a day of acid each are under construction at Jorf Lasfar. The last pre-restriction Gulf cargo discharged at Jorf Lasfar on 10 April 2026. OCP cut up to 30% of its second-quarter capacity through maintenance, ran at about half of capacity in June for want of sulphur, and saw its sulphur cost roughly triple in the first half; it shifted exports towards TSP, which needs less sulphur per tonne of phosphate. Quarterly contract values delivered North Africa moved from USD 479-499 per tonne for the first quarter of 2026 to USD 990-1,010 for the third, and spot granular was USD 930-970 at the start of October. The country's sulphur import bill for January to August 2026 was almost three times that of the same months of 2025, on fewer tonnes.

Jorf Lasfar takes ships to 120,000 DWT on quays of up to 15.6 m and discharges sulphur with two continuous unloaders; Safi has a basin for sulphur and acid with shallower berths, so the port sets the parcel. Supply is bought on quarterly contracts and on the spot market. CBIL brokers formed granular sulphur (99.8% min, 2-6 mm, friability at or under 5%, ash 0.05% max) in 30,000 to 55,000 t lots CFR Jorf Lasfar and Safi, loading the US Gulf formers, Duqm and Sohar in Oman, Vancouver and the Saudi Red Sea ports when the terminal confirms a lifting, with SGS or Intertek certification at load and the producing refinery or gas plant named on the certificate of origin. A requirement that states the buyer, discharge port, laycan and LC-opening bank gets a firm answer; one without them gets a question first.

Need the ship as well? Our chartering desk prices sulphur freight to Jorf Lasfar and Safi on LaycanDesk.

The market in figures

Imports: 2025: about 6.7 Mt, about USD 1.6 billion, USD 244/t · 2024: 8.3 Mt (record)
Origins inside the Gulf, 2025: UAE 35% · Saudi Arabia 12% · Qatar 2% · Kuwait 2% — 51% in all, about 280,000 t a month
Delivered contract values, 2026: Q1 USD 479-499/t · Q3 USD 990-1,010/t · spot granular USD 930-970/t on 1 October
2026 market: Buyer at about 50% of capacity in June · sulphur cost roughly tripled in H1 · Jan-Aug import bill almost 3x 2025
Discharge: Jorf Lasfar: ships to 120,000 DWT, two continuous sulphur unloaders · Safi: sulphur and acid basin, shallower berths
Loading points: US Gulf · Duqm, Sohar (Oman) · Vancouver · Saudi Red Sea ports, lifting confirmed per cargo

Landed values are the importing country's declared CIF, not CBIL prices.

Questions buyers ask

Who buys sulphur in Morocco?: OCP, the state-owned phosphate producer, at its Jorf Lasfar and Safi chemical complexes. It burns sulphur to sulphuric acid, which turns phosphate rock into phosphoric acid and then DAP, MAP and TSP. There is no merchant sulphur market of any size beside it. It buys on quarterly contracts and spot. CBIL quotes suppliers and traders who hold a named requirement; it does not act on a mandate without a letter from the buyer on its own paper.
How large is the requirement, really?: About 6.7 million t in 2025 and 8.3 million t in 2024. Some published trade tables show double those figures because the same cargoes are recorded under two customs procedures; the country's own trade accounts and the buyer's reported volumes agree on the lower numbers. About half of the 2025 tonnage came from inside the Gulf, roughly 280,000 t a month.
Which origins can replace Gulf sulphur?: The US Gulf, where formers load 35,000 to 40,000 t lots for the Atlantic; the Saudi Red Sea ports, from which a cargo reached Jorf Lasfar in April 2026 and where each lifting is confirmed with the terminal at the time of fixing; Oman's Duqm and Sohar; Mediterranean refiners in small lots; and Vancouver on the long haul. Each offer names the producer and the load port.
What parcel size and form does the port take?: Granular, in Supramax lots of 30,000 to 55,000 t into Jorf Lasfar, where two continuous unloaders work the ship; cargoes for Safi are sized to its shallower berths. Lump is not suited to a port that discharges this much sulphur by mechanical unloader.
Can CBIL also fix the ship?: Yes. Our chartering desk, LaycanDesk, prices Supramax tonnage from the US Gulf, the Red Sea and Vancouver to Jorf Lasfar and Safi, so a CFR and an FOB figure can be shown side by side.