CNI News
28 Mar 2023
As checkpoints along highways cause transportation delays and fuel quotas for filling stations have been cut, filling stations in Rakhine and Mon states have faced fuel shortages, according to owners of filling stations.
Fuel is transported from Thilawa terminal in Yangon to Mon state and fuel bowsers have to wait for two days at Nyaung Karshe X-Ray Checkpoint.
A filling station in Mon state.
As a result, there are fuel shortages in Mon State, a filling station owner in Mawlamyine told the CNI.
She said, "We are from Mawlamyine and we have to pass the X-Ray gates. So, we face delays. The government has set quotas for us as well as sale quotas of fuels for each day at the terminal. When the quotas have been reached, they close the terminal. We have to wait until the next day. Moreover, we have to wait two days to pass through the X-Ray checkpoint. Recently, fuel quotas have been cut. So, we cannot supply enough fuel for our customers. In addition, fuel demands are rising during the tour season."
Filling stations have been allowed to get their quotas every three days. As fuel quotas last only three days, there are shortages when transportation is delayed.
Moreover, there are fuel shortages because the demand for fuel rises during tour seasons.
A DENKO filling station.
Filling stations in Rakhine State have called on authorities to distribute their fuel quotas once a week because it is difficult for them to come to Yangon in time, a filling station owner from Taungup told the CNI.
He said, "There are fuel shortages. We are required to take out our fuel quotas every three days. However, it takes three day to travel from Rakhine State to Yangon. In Yangon, we hire fuel bowsers to take out our fuel quotas. Then, we move fuel from bowsers into barrels to transport them to Rakhine State on trucks. It is very difficult for us. We don't have enough time to transport fuel to Rakhine state. If we cannot take out our quotas within a week, they cancel the remaining quotas. And then, they have cut our quotas. So, there are fuel shortages in Rakhine state.
As there are fuel shortages at filling stations, some of them are limiting their fuel sales to prevent further shortages before their new quotas are available.
