ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka will be receiving 9 shipments of fuel in the next two months, Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said.
The shipments include the three Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) consigments that are to arrive between 13 July and 15 August.
Wijesekara said that the IOC ships would be partially paid using the 20 million US dollars left from the Indian credit line.
Related: Three shipments of fuel to arrive in Sri Lanka by mid, end July, August: Lanka IOC
Four shipments of fuel were awaiting confirmation, the minister stated.
Meanwhile, a 40,000 metric tonne diesel shipment worth 66.5 million US dollars from the UAE-based Coral Company is due between 8 and 9 July.
A 35,000 metric tonne furnace oil consignment worth 34 million dollars is due to arrive between 10 and 11 July.
Another 40,000 metric tonne diesel shipment from the Singapore-based Vitol Company is due to arrive between 11 and 14 July. The shipment is worth 77 million USD, Wijesekara said.
The Coral Company had also confirmed a 135,000 MT shipment of crude oil to arrive on 15 July, and another shipment for August.
Another shipment of Petrol is due between 22 and 23 July.
Wijesekara stated that the Sri Lankan Government had requested Malaysian aid for petrol and kerosene, but it was getting difficult to find ships for delivery.
Sri Lanka’s economy has come to a grinding halt due to the fuel crisis, with many private buses and taxis not running. Fuel hoarding is also contributing to the scarcity and queues, and the country’s government recently started to issue fuel tokens in a bid to shorten queues and prevent excessive filling.
However, all those measures have proven to be in vain.
(Colombo/03Jul/2022)
