Clearance of Octane 95 petrol and crude oil shipments delayed

The US dollar crisis is delaying the clearance of an Octane 95 petrol shipment, with the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation incurring heavy demurrage charges, officials said.

Two shipments, one carrying diesel and the other Octane 95, arrived on March 28 and 29, but the delay in clearing the shipments by Friday had cost the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation an additional Rs 422 million by yesterday.

CPC Chairman Sumith Wijesinghe said they managed to clear the diesel shipment yesterday and unloading had started.

The clearance of a 70,000MT crude oil shipment has also been put on hold until the CPC finds US$ 70 million to pay for the shipment, the officials said.