The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Distribution Company ‘Agil’, Khaled Bettine, stated this Friday that “fuel supply will return to its normal pace starting tomorrow, Saturday,” specifying that substantial quantities of fuels will be transported to gas stations as early as this evening. This operation is expected to contribute to a gradual improvement of the situation and to meet the needs of citizens.
In a statement to the Tunis Africa Press Agency (TAP), Bettine assured that “fuels are available and that no problem exists at the stock level.” He clarified that a cargo of fuels has arrived in Bizerte and is currently being unloaded, while other quantities are available in the company’s depots in Radès and Skhira. Another cargo is also in the process of being imported.
He added that procurement operations will continue intensively, with trucks expected to transport quantities of gasoline and diesel from the company’s depots in Radès and Skhira to the various gas stations.
The official explained that the massive turnout of citizens to gas stations, following the diffusion of information about a strike by the agents responsible for transporting fuels, had led to the rapid exhaustion of quantities available at several stations. He nevertheless denied the existence of a national fuel shortage.
According to him, the company has continued, in recent months, to meet market needs without recording shortages or stockouts. He also stressed that contracts with international suppliers remain in force and that procurement operations proceed at their usual pace.
The tanker-truck drivers’ strike mentioned
Regarding the strike observed by drivers of fuel transport trucks on Thursday, August 20, Bettine indicated that this movement was spontaneous and sudden, without prior notice.
He assured that work is currently underway to progressively address the various demands and difficulties raised by the drivers, with the aim of achieving fundamental solutions likely to limit the recurrence of such moves in the future.
In the same context, the Agil CEO estimated that price stability of fuels and the absence of supply shortages during the summer season constitute an achievement for Tunisia.
He stressed that the country had managed to maintain the continuity of supply despite the increase in demand during the summer and the influx of visitors, with fuels remaining available in the different regions.
(Source: TAP)
