By Rashneel Kumar, Cook Islands News
The fuel ship Media stretched almost the entire width of the Avatiu harbour as groups of holidaying youngsters watched on. This picture was taken in 2022. Photo: Cook Islands News
A local fuel supplier is running out of diesel after the fuel tanker bringing new stock was delayed for about two weeks.
TOA Petroleum, one of the two fuel suppliers in the country, gets its stock via fuel tanker Media.
According to TOA Petroleum owner Brett Porter, the fuel tanker that was originally scheduled to arrive this week is now expected to dock at Avatiu Harbour around 12 November.
Porter said that only their diesel stock has been affected by this delay.
"We have been advised by our fuel supplier Pacific Energy Fiji that the fuel tanker Media has had mechanical issues which require the vessel to return to Fiji for repairs. This means a delay that is expected to be about two weeks from the original date of arrival," he told Cook Islands News.
"TOA will run out of diesel fuel until the arrival of that vessel."
Triad Petroleum, the other supplier, said they have sufficient diesel to last until their next shipment
"I can confirm that Triad Petroleum does have a sufficient amount of diesel in stock to supply our clients and customers until our next shipment arrives," Papalii Leafa confirmed.
TOA Petroleum "generally buys 250/350 metric tons per five-to-six-week tanker schedule".
Porter said there was no contingency plan for mitigation, highlighting a need for national strategic stock holding.
"Minimum strategic stock holding is something that always needs consideration for all developed economies," he said.
In 2022, following multiple petrol shortages, Louis Enoka, chairman of the Price Tribunal, which regulates fuel prices in the Cook Islands, said it was inevitable that such shortages would happen and continue to happen unless the distribution model changed.
Asked about whether the stakeholders would consider a "tank farm" model, Enoka said it was an "interesting concept", but "currently, we're not in a financial position to do anything like that".
"In a perfect world, something like that would be considered," he said.
Porter said in 2022 that it did not hold reserves at the moment because buying in bulk exposed them to too much risk on the international market.
"As a result, we've been working on a 'just in time' model," he said.
Porter also stated that Toa Petroleum wanted to consolidate its volume with Te Aponga Uira to better utilise the local coastal tankers.
-This article was first published by Cook Islands News.
