More tanker vessels ready to berth at Lagos ports as fuel crisis persists

As Nigerians experience another round of fuel scarcity, about 13 tanker vessels carrying premium motor spirit (PMS – petrol) have arrived at terminals in Lagos ports and are currently awaiting berth, said Shipping Day, an online publication.

According to Shipping Day, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in its Shipping Position says the affected vessels came more than two weeks ago but are still awaiting to discharge their cargoes for onward clearing and distribution across the country.

Most of the vessels came with PMS, otherwise known as petrol, while four others came with base oil and kerosene. Some of the vessels have been awaiting berth since March 29, according to the Shipping Position.

The tanker vessels that came with fuel include Msk Elizabeth, Port Brussel, Formosa Falcon, Atlantic Leo, Sea Horizon and Port Steward, British Tenacity, Elux Lucis and Eternal Sunshine. Other vessels that came with base oil and kerosene include Atlantic Andaman, Loulou, Nkanas and Eagle.

No tanker that came with petrol has anything less than 30,000 metric tons, while those with base oil and kerosene have between 4,500 metric tons to 5,000 metric tons of the products, the publication stated.

The Shipping Position showed that three other vessels had discharged fuel about two weeks ago, while two others discharged kerosene and diesel.

Checks reveal that the fuel crisis has made life difficult in Lagos, Abuja and many other states for about two weeks now. The Federal Government had last week released N156 billion as payment for oil subsidy, which the marketers described as not enough.

However, it is expected that the fuel crisis may ease this week with the receipt of the money paid to the oil marketers who may have deliberately delayed the discharge of the products at the Lagos ports until payment is made.

UZOAMAKA ANAGOR