The mayor of the Polish city of Świnoujście has warned that German motorists flooding across the border for cheaper fuel are creating shortages and forcing authorities to consider limits on sales.
Joanna Agatowska said the situation had moved beyond simply high prices and was now threatening local fuel availability.
“Above all, we must ensure uninterrupted access to fuel for our residents and municipal companies, which must carry out their duties safely and uninterruptedly,” Agatowska said in a statement published on the city’s website.
The warning comes after a surge in cross-border “fuel tourism” triggered by sharply higher petrol and diesel prices in Germany following the conflict between the United States and Israel, and Iran.
Gas stations in the German town of Heringsdorf were selling diesel for up to €2.07 per litre on Wednesday morning, while the same fuel in nearby Świnoujście cost roughly €1.38. Petrol prices show an even wider gap, with Super E10 costing around €2.10 in Germany but about €1.33 in Poland.
For motorists with a 50-liter tank, the difference amounts to savings of more than €30, making the short trip across the border highly attractive.
According to Polish outlet Tysol, the rush has triggered shortages in the city. “Massive refueling on the Polish side of the border is causing shortages at gas stations in Świnoujście,” the outlet reported.
Polsat News reporter Wojciech Gaweł said drivers had begun arriving in large numbers to take advantage of the price difference. “Drivers rushed to buy fuel en masse, and so did their German neighbors, who came to the Polish side to fill up,” he said.
Local officials say the situation has worsened because some motorists are not only filling their vehicles but also stockpiling fuel in canisters.
Świnoujście authorities have now appealed to gas station operators to limit the sale of fuel in canisters and to exercise stricter oversight of sales, Bild reported.
The city has also asked customs and border services to carry out inspections of drivers leaving Poland to ensure existing regulations on transporting fuel across the border are enforced.
The risk of shortages is compounded by the city’s geography. Świnoujście sits on an island, and for safety reasons, fuel tankers cannot use the underwater road tunnel. Instead, deliveries must be transported by ferry, which runs only four times a day and does not operate on Sundays or public holidays.
Last weekend, parts of the city reportedly ran out of fuel entirely, and officials fear the situation could repeat itself if the cross-border rush continues.
