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Petrol shortage to lengthen queues until next shipment

29 Aug 2022

  • Tanker Owners say limited quantities of petrol being released
  • CPC asks public not to panic as shortage rumours false
  • Vehicle owners deny they are panic-buying
By Safrah Fazal and Dinitha Rathnayake   With long queues having formed outside fuel filling stations in multiple areas across the island over the past few days, The Morning learnt that the stocks of petrol available at the Ceylon Petroleum Storage Terminal (CPSTL) are in low quantities and are being managed to last the next few days until the arrival and distribution of the next shipment of petrol. Well-placed sources told The Morning yesterday (28) that the stocks of petrol available at CPSTL are insufficient to fulfil the current demand and need to be managed until the arrival of the next shipment which is due in the next few days. “Since CPSTL is trying to manage with the low stocks it has, petrol is issued in limited quantities, which has resulted in the re-emergence of petrol queues.” Meanwhile, speaking to The Morning yesterday, Ceylon Petroleum Private Tanker Owners’ Association Secretary Shantha Silva confirmed that while diesel is being supplied as usual from CPSTL Muthurajawela and Kolonnawa terminals, petrol is being supplied in limited quantities. “Petrol is not supplied to all filling stations. Once the petrol shipment arrives on 29 August (today), petrol will hopefully be supplied as usual.” Speaking to The Morning yesterday, several persons in queues complained that they were unable to procure fuel over the past few days and have had to languish in lengthy queues.  “It‘s similar to the experience we had during the height of the crisis. We are not in queues because we are worried about a shortage and are panic-buying; we are here to pump fuel according to the quota allocated to us through the quick response (QR) code.” Fuel shortages were observed in Kurunegala, Kandy, Gampaha, and Colombo with long lines for fuel. However, areas such as Welimada and Nuwara Eliya had sufficient stock of petrol in filling stations sans lines. On Saturday (27), Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera admitted that certain lapses have resulted in the re-emergence of lengthy queues but that the issues would be resolved by today (29). “Reviewed fuel distribution and Instructed to distribute additional stocks of all products islandwide in the next three days. Lapses in distribution, delays in unloading, and delays in payments for orders by fuel stations have created long lines. Plan to reduce the lines in the next two days,” the Minister had posted on Twitter. However, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) issued a press release on the same day refuting reports of shortages in stocks of petrol, diesel, and kerosene. “As the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery has recommenced operations, all measures have been taken for the uninterrupted supply of fuel. Accordingly, fuel including diesel, petrol, and kerosene are being produced at Sapugaskanda.  “At the same time, stocks of imported fuel are also available at the Muthurajawela and Kolonnawa terminals. While all necessary measures for the procurement of fuel are currently being carried out, the CPC requests the public to not harbour undue fear with regard to false reports being spread claiming that there is a shortage of fuel supplies.” When The Morning contacted an official from the CPC in this regard, he stated that both diesel and petrol are being supplied to filling stations. “Measures have also been taken to supply the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB) depots with the necessary stocks of fuel within today (Sunday).” Meanwhile, an official from the Ministry of Power and Energy stated that a cargo of 36,500 metric tonnes (MT) of petrol is due to arrive tomorrow (30) although the Ministry previously stated that the shipment of petrol is due to arrive on 27-29 August. He further stated that the queues for petrol were due to the delays in the distribution of petrol as a result of a delay in unloading the diesel, as the Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera tweeted last Thursday (25). “Petrol is distributed in combinations to most fuel stations with diesel stocks. The delay in unloading diesel has resulted in delays in the distribution of petrol. Working overnight to cover up the delays,” the Minister tweeted. Last week, queues for fuel began forming once again in some parts of the island as a result of a shortage of fuel at the Muthurajawela terminal. Motorists who had visited both CPC and Lanka Indian Oil Corporation (LIOC) fuel filling stations to obtain fuel through the QR code system were seen languishing in queues outside empty fuelling stations again in some parts of the island, including in the Colombo, Ratnapura, Kurunegala, and Hatton areas.  In response, the Minister stated that the distribution of both petrol and diesel was disrupted owing to the delay in unloading the Super Diesel cargo due to bank clearances. Due to the serious economic crisis that has arisen in the country, particularly the shortage of foreign exchange reserves, the import of fuel and many other commodities has been limited for several months. With the restriction of fuel importation, long queues were seen near the filling stations in the past.  


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