Summary: Alkagesta, the international marine fuels group owned by Orkhan Rustamov, has completed its acquisition of Energy Petrol, the third-largest physical bunker supplier in the port of Istanbul. The deal brings eight supply vessels and a long-term lease of 28,000 cubic metres of tank capacity at Gebze, and marks Alkagesta's first move into vessel ownership. Taha Karakan and Aydın Yıldız take senior roles to lead the Turkish business.

Alkagesta has officially closed its acquisition of Energy Petrol, finalising the transfer of shares in November 2026 after announcing the agreement in October, according to the company's official announcement.

The transaction gives the group, owned by Orkhan Rustamov, a physical supply foothold in one of the Eastern Mediterranean's busiest bunkering hubs. Founded in 1997, Energy Petrol will continue to trade under its established brand.

Vessels, storage and a first step into ownership

The acquisition includes eight marine fuel supply vessels and a long-term lease of 28,000 cubic metres of tank capacity at the terminal in Gebze. For Alkagesta, it is the first time the group will own vessels directly, moving it further along the value chain from trading into physical delivery.

Energy Petrol was built under Mustafa Muhtaroğlu, the founding and current chairman of the Turkish Bunker Association, who has served on the board of the International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) for 20 years.

Leadership for the Turkish business

Following completion, Alkagesta is reinforcing Energy Petrol's management by pairing international bunkering expertise with local commercial leadership.

  • Taha Karakan, who joined Alkagesta in October 2024, becomes Managing Director – Marine Fuels Distribution, Türkiye, with strategic and commercial oversight of Energy Petrol. He previously held trading and commercial roles at Bunker Holding, the world's largest marine fuel trading and bunkering company, with annual volumes of roughly 24–25 million tonnes.
  • Aydın Yıldız is appointed Marine Sales Director of Energy Petrol. From 2015 to 2025 he worked at Petrol Ofisi, most recently as Head of Marine Sales, running a business selling more than 1 million tonnes a year with about 39% of the Turkish marine fuels market.

At Petrol Ofisi, Yıldız led five commercial and operational departments and a team of 20, overseeing a nationwide supply network, 20 supply vessels and more than 10 marine fuel stations. He began his career at sea as a marine engineer, rising to chief engineer before moving into commercial leadership.

What it means for the market

Alkagesta says the structure is designed to keep Energy Petrol's customer relationships, operational reliability and service standards intact, while giving the business the platform and international reach for its next phase of growth across Türkiye and the wider region.

For shipowners calling at Istanbul, combining an established local supplier with an international trading network may widen access to supply. For the Mediterranean bunkering market, it signals continued consolidation as trading groups add physical delivery capacity.

References

Read the original announcement on Alkagesta.