Mozambique: Government Denies Reports of Fuel Shortage

Maputo — Mozambique's the Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy (MIREME) denies that the country is facing another fuel shortage despite long queues of vehicles at filling stations in Maputo and other cities.

On Monday and Tuesday, long queues were seen in filling stations, which raised concerns of a return to the fuel supply shortage experienced in the country last April and May.

A week ago, hundreds of motorcycle taxi drivers protested against fuel shortage in the northern province of Nampula. The protesters blockaded the city's key routes, including sections along the country's main north-south highway, National Road Number One (EN1). The disruption severely affected the movement of people and cargo across the city during the morning rush hour.

MIREME, in a statement, claims that fuel supply continues normally across the country, given that there has been no disruption of stocks. However, it admitted that these difficulties were related to logistical constraints during the weekend, which coincided with the celebration of a national holiday, which marked the 60th anniversary of the National Liberation Struggle and the 51st anniversary of the Armed Forces for the Defense of Mozambique (FADM) Day.

"The constraints affected the regular loading and distribution cycle, preventing some petrol stations from receiving fuel on time. Several stations in central Maputo were closed, while others with fuel available faced long queues", reads the note.

According to the document, operational teams were mobilized at the Matola Terminal, allowing 1.176 million litres of petrol to be loaded, close to the daily average of about 1.2 million litres.

The ministry has revealed that 8,000 tonnes of petrol are expected to arrive in Mozambique by Thursday, adding that the fuel currently available is sufficient to meet demand in Maputo.

To prevent similar situations, MIREME said it will strengthen coordination among operators in the fuel supply chain, extend loading hours at terminals when necessary and allow loading operations on Saturdays.

"The measures are intended to ensure greater continuity in fuel distribution during extended weekends and periods of increased demand", reads the note.

The previous fuel shortage caused long queues of vehicles at filling stations in Maputo and other cities. According to the authorities, the crisis was influenced by the US-Israel aggression war against Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which is responsible for the daily flow of almost 20 percent of the world's oil sales.

About 80 per cent of Mozambique's fuel imports pass through routes connected to the Strait of Hormuz, which means that the impact of the war in the Middle East is potentially disastrous for the country's economy.

This situation forced the government to increase, at the beginning of this May, the prices of the main liquid fuels by up to 45, 5 percent.

The authorities also pointed out the bankruptcy of fuel distributors and the shortage of foreign currency (particularly US dollars) as the main cause of the crisis.

Read the original article on AIM.