There are strong indications that the lingering scarcity of petrol in the country may continue till next week as vessels expected to bring in the essential products are nowhere close to the jetties.
Our findings also revealed that the petroleum products tank farms located at the Ibafon area of Apapa are almost empty as no vessel has berthed to discharge the product in the last 72 hours.
There are strong indications that the lingering scarcity of petrol in the country may continue till next week as vessels expected to bring in the essential products are nowhere close to the jetties.
Our findings also revealed that the petroleum products tank farms located at the Ibafon area of Apapa are almost empty as no vessel has berthed to discharge the product in the last 72 hours.
Shipping Position Daily findings yesterday in Lagos revealed that no mother vessel has been sighted by the operators in the last couple of weeks and no other smaller vessels were seen discharging the product in large quantity at the various jetties at Ijora, Ibafon and down to Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT.).
As at yesterday, only two ships laden with a combine tonnage of 54,000Metric Tonnes of petrol were being expected at the ports. They are: MT Kriton and MT Androussa.
But, major oil marketers also disclosed that vessels laden with imported petroleum products had berth at the high sea, but they are not yet at the jetties.
One of the major marketers explained that the delay by the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) in approving the first quarter fuel allocation to marketers was responsible for scarcity.
He however added that ships laden with petrol had started to berth since the early hours of yesterday on the high sea.
But, an independent marketer, who exonerated marketers of any blame, commended the Federal Government for its intervention in the clearing processes.
He said that the clearing process had become cumbersome and caused the experienced delay of ships in the high sea.
“I totally disagree with the insinuations that marketers are the ones hoarding the product at the filling stations.
“The real issue is in the high sea because to what extent can a marketer hoard the product in the filling station?
“In the high sea, we have 42 days sufficiency, so, how can a marketer hoard?
“The situation we have today has to do with logistics. That is the operations at the jetties, including the shore tanks.
“I am talking about the little problem we had one week ago which was the contraction in supply,’’ he said.
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