Team DGCI regularly supplies fuel to Afghanistan using a Caspian Sea route as part of the supply chain.   The decision is partly based on geography and politics – this sea route is safer and more stable than some of the land-based alternatives.  It is also based in a desire to cost-optimize the supply chain – a comparable land route would take longer, and be more expensive.  Finally, it relates to convenience and reduced labor levels – the sea shipping option requires less paperwork than the land shipping option (which would cross strategic borders and possibly involve bottlenecks or slow downs.)

These supplies are mission critical fuel; this typically includes EN590 diesel, EN228 gasoline, and JA1 aviation fuel.  The fuel has a long journey by different forms of transportation, including train to Azerbaijan, ship to Turkmenistan, and fuel truck to the final destinations.

In this part of the world, DGCI pays a shipping premium in addition to the origin market price to ensure that these critical supplies get to the warfighter on time.