Bangla Press Desk: Amid mounting pressure on the country’s fuel and gas supply due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, another vessel carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG) has arrived at Chattogram port.
The vessel, Kongtong, arrived from the United States on Sunday and anchored at the Floating Storage Regasification Unit (FSRU), said Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim.Officials said several more shipments of LNG and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are scheduled to arrive in the coming days as part of a coordinated effort to ensure an uninterrupted fuel supply for power generation and industrial use.
Among the expected arrivals, the LPG carrier Paul from Malaysia was scheduled to reach the country on Monday, while the LNG carriers Maran Gas Hydra and Lobito, from Australia and Angola, respectively, are due on Wednesday and Saturday (18 April).
Besides, Bangladesh is also set to receive 60,000 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia through two tankers arriving at Chattogram port on Tuesday.
Sources at the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) informed that the vessels MT Torm Damini and MT Lucia Solis are expected to arrive within a three-hour interval.
The ships, which departed from Malaysian ports on 9 April, are each carrying 30,000 tonnes of diesel. The fuel is being supplied under regular procurement arrangements through international traders, including Unipec (Singapore) and PT Bumi Siak Pusaku.
The sources added that the continued inflow of fuel shipments is expected to support energy security and help stabilise supply in the domestic market.
Following the joint attack by the United States and Israel on Iran on 28 February, the resulting conflict in the Middle East disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting the fuel imports for countries, including Bangladesh.
Consequently, several energy-laden ships could not reach the country on time, putting pressure on supply. Under the circumstances, the government has taken initiatives to procure fuel from alternative sources.
According to CPA officials, around 49 vessels have reached the country with Monoethylene Glycol (MEG), High Sulfur Fuel Oil (HSFO), crude oil, gas oil, LPG, LNG, and base oil since the war began.
