Tunisia currently has sufficient fuel reserves to cover around 30 days of consumption, the head of the National Petroleum Distribution Company, Khaled Bettine, said on Tuesday.
He assured stakeholders that recent disruptions at petrol stations were mainly due to transport difficulties.
Speaking on Express FM, Bettine, explained that the suspension, since 20 August, of tanker truck departures from the Radès depots had disrupted the distribution of petroleum products.
The situation followed a mobilisation by drivers demanding, among other things, improved working and social conditions.
According to the official, petroleum products remained available at the depots, but the slowdown in transport affected their delivery to petrol stations. A massive influx of motorists, driven by fears of a shortage, also accelerated the depletion of stocks at several outlets and led to long queues.
National reserves are regularly replenished through new shipments. They include petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), Khaled Bettine said.
To strengthen distribution capacity, the company also plans to put six additional trucks into service shortly. At the same time, its head stressed the need to improve drivers’ working conditions and strengthen coordination among importers, transporters, distributors and petrol station operators.
Such coordination is considered essential to prevent further disruptions and ensure continuity of supply to the Tunisian market with energy products.
MK/te/Sf/lb/as/APA