Colombo, Nov 6 (newsin.asia) – Officials from Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, on Monday said that a new oil tanker would arrive in Sri Lanka from the UAE by Wednesday putting an end to the petrol crisis which was presently looming in the country.
However till such time the shipment arrives, CPC officials reiterated that the public should use petrol sparingly.
Long queues have been lining outside petrol stations in Colombo and its suburbs since Friday night as oil tankers failed to arrive to distribute the normal supply of petrol.
Even during the weekend many stations remained closed or with a low petrol supply, spreading panic among consumers.
According to officials at the state owned CPC petrol consumption had doubled since Friday from the usual 2,000 MT per day, as panicked customers had begun to stock up on petrol.
On Monday, a majority of the public did not use their vehicles to travel to work, unsure when the stations would get a fresh supply.
The CPC Officials added that a new oil tanker was due to arrive in Sri Lanka on Wednesday from the UAE and the situation would normalize soon.
According to state owned Daily News, fears of a petrol shortage arose in the island following the rejection of a fuel shipment which was imported by the Lanka Indian Oil Company.
The shipment that arrived in the country on Oct 15 was rejected as it failed to meet the required standards.
Another shipment of fuel ordered by the CPC from UAE was delayed by several days.
Another shipment of fuel ordered by the CPC from UAE was delayed by several days.
Over the weekend, Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Trade Union Collective Convener, D.J. Rajakaruna wrote to Petroleum Minister Arjuna Ranatunga over the fuel shortage and reiterated the need to develop the storage capacity of the CPC to maintain sufficient buffer stocks.
(The pic featured above shows a deserted petrol shed in Bambalapitiya after it ran out of petrol on Friday night. Pic By Jamila Husain)
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