……Lagos, Delta to receive products
As the fuel scarcity bites harder across the country, four more vessels are expected to offload 120,365 tonnes (120,37 million) litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at the Lagos and Delta ports this week. This is in addition to last week’s delivery when three port terminals discharged 237.5 million tonnes of fuel, leading to a total of 357.86 million in less than two weeks. Findings from Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)’s Shipping Position revealed that MT Lorele 1 berthed on Monday at Pinnacle Jetty in Lagos with 60, 365 tonnes of petrol.
Also, at Delta Port in Warri, Mosunmola is expected to berth on Wednesday (today) with 20,000 tonnes, Rising Sun will also arrive on Thursday with 20,000 tonnes while Tornado will deliver 20,000 tonnes on Friday. Although regular arrival of PMS tankers has been observed in the last two weeks from NPA’s Shipping Position, poor distribution of the product has made the situation more critical as more filling stations are shut out of products. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) had said that hitches in distribution had made it extremely difficult for Nigerians to access the product.
Various filling stations across the country have been under lock and keys as they do not have fuel to dispense to motorists and other consumers almost two weeks after the company promised having over one billion litres for the country. The development has not spared even major marketing outlets owned by Total Energies, Conoil, Mobil among several others.
In the same way, independent petroleum marketers, who are individuals with own fuel outlets, are not left out in the development that appeared to have defiled solution.
Recalled that, last week, Lagos, Calabar and Delta received 237,500 metric tonnes (237.5million litres) of PMS from 15 vessels. According to NPA’s shipping data, 96, 000 tonnes of the fuel were discharged at Kirikiri Lighter Terminal II.
Bora offloaded 20,000 tonnes at the terminal. Also, St Nenne, Tornado and Leste were moored with 16,000 tonnes, 20,000 tonnes and 20,000 tonnes respectively on Wednesday. The shipping data further revealed that Safesea Neha III berthed on Friday with 20,000 tonnes at the terminal. At Calabar Port, two vessels arrived Tuesday and Thursday with 30,000 tonnes, while Porto Fiscardo arrived at the port jetty with 15,000 tonnes on Tuesday, Bourne berthed to offload 15,000 tonnes on Thursday.
