100 fuel tankers arrive from Tanzania’s Tanga Port

* This is from the consignment of 1,409 tankers which is supposed to haul 40,000 metric tons (about 51.5 million litres)

* The emergency fuel procurement aims at supplementing the normal fuel imports by NOCMA, PIL and other licensed importers

By Duncan Mlanjira

One hundred fuel tankers of both petrol and diesel have arrived in Malawi through Songwe Border in Karonga from Tanzania’s Tanga Port, which is the consignment from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) under government-to-government procurement deal.

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This consignment is from the 1,409 tankers which is supposed to haul 40,000 metric tons (about 51.5 million litres) of the petrol and diesel from Tanga Port, which arrived over a week ago.

A Governement report posted on its Facebook page a moment ago, quotes Minister of Energy Ibrahim Matola at Songwe Border as saying the emergency fuel procurement aims at supplementing the normal fuel imports by National Oil Company of Malawi (NOCMA), Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) and other licensed importers.

Matola at Songwe Border

He added that these two entities “have been facing challenges in accessing fuel import financing leading to the current fuel shortages”.

“We planned to have 1,409 trucks to haul the fuel from Tanga in Tanzania and NOCMA has since put out adverts requesting eligible local and international transporters to express their interest.”

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The report further quotes Minister Matola as urging Malawians to stand together in the face of challenges and work towards finding solutions, rather than taking pleasure in others’ misfortunes — emphasising that energy is the backbone of the economy.

The policy shift in fuel importation was initiated by President Lazarus Chakwera between the Government and its appointed agent, the NOCMA.

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