Ifeyinwa Obi
11 October 2008
Nine vessels laden with 75,050.598 metric tonnes of kerosene are waiting at the country's territorial waters to discharge its contents.
The nine vessels which were expected to discharge since last week are unable to berth at the oil terminals in Lagos due to lack of spaces.
The vessels if discharged will cushion kerosene scarcity which has prevailed in the country in the last one month.
Moreover, three other vessels Tank Oil, Globe Sky and OT Mnemozyne, carrying 21,500 metric tonnes of Kerosene are being expected at the Lagos Pilotage District (LPD) in the next one week.
Also, 18 vessels laden with 364,754.653 metric tonnes of premium motor spirit, otherwise known as petrol are waiting to discharge alongside 19 others with 205,297.501 metric tonnes of diesel.
In the next one week, three vessels with 43,523 metric tons of aviation oil, two carrying 15,000 tons of low pour fuel oil and others laden with 5,000 tons of base oil and 1,300.271 tons butane are also waiting to bring in their contents.
Furthermore, 24 ships with diesel, petrol, low pour fuel oil, and base oil, will be calling at the port in the next two weeks.
However, the lingering problem of inadequate spaces at the oil terminals has been an issue bothering the minds of tank farm owners, vessel owners and the Federal Government, as the accumulating demurrage are adding to the high price of petroleum products, especially Kerosene.
It was also gathered that each of the vessels pay as much as a million naira every week on demurrage due to the delay in charging their consignments, and these costs are eventually passed on to the consumers.
Analysts are of the view that if the waiting time of the vessels are reduced, it would go along way to reduce the cost of the products in the market.
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