Guyana’s Prime Minister Mark Phillips urged the public not to panic buy or hoard fuel on Monday, saying supplies are stabilizing after a temporary disruption caused by a delayed shipment from a major supplier.
Guyana, like many countries globally, is grappling with the impact of the disruption in crude traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which S&P Global said is the largest such disruption ever recorded.
The Guyana government said it had engaged fuel importers, who confirmed that one major oil company experienced a shipment delay. The cargo has since arrived and is currently being discharged.
Phillips said additional consignments had already landed on Monday afternoon, with further shipments scheduled for Tuesday and later in the week.
The government also warned consumers against unsafe storage practices.
“I remind consumers that petroleum products are highly flammable and must be handled and stored with the greatest care. Storing gasoline in inappropriate containers poses a serious fire risk and significantly increases the potential for injury, loss of life, and damage to property,” the Prime Minister said.
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He added that the government will continue to monitor the situation and take measures to ensure stable and reliable access to fuel nationwide.
According to a schedule released by the government, multiple shipments of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel are arriving this week from key suppliers.
State-owned Guyana Oil Company is expecting 9,000 barrels of diesel and 21,000 barrels of gasoline on April 15, with offloading scheduled for Thursday morning.
SOL Guyana Inc. reported that 3,000 barrels of gasoline and 14,000 barrels of diesel arrived on April 13 at 2 p.m., with discharge underway and distribution set to begin Monday evening. A further 12,000 barrels of gasoline and 6,000 barrels of diesel are due to arrive on April 14 at 2:20 p.m.
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Rubis Guyana Inc. said 10,000 barrels of gasoline, 6,700 barrels of low sulphur diesel and 4,500 barrels of ultra-low sulphur diesel also arrived on April 13 at 2 p.m. Additional shipments expected on April 14 at 3 p.m. include 10,000 barrels of gasoline, 18,000 barrels of diesel and 3,000 barrels of aviation fuel.
President Irfaan Ali earlier Monday told the public that he met with fuel importers to address the shortages after gas stations were reportedly limiting the quantities of fuel consumers were permitted to buy. The impact on local fuel prices was swift, as the government reported a 38.5% increase in gasoline import costs in the four-week period leading up to the middle of March.
