By Sami Zaptia.
London, 19 July 2019:
Brega Fuel Marketing Company, the wholly-owned fuel distribution arm of the National Oil Corporation (NOC) has started distributing petrol using fuel transport trucks in Tripoli.
The move was forced upon the company as a result of the long queues at petrol stations in the capital.
The move comes dispite the fact that Brega assures that it has adequate fuel supplies especially with the arrival of the fuel tanker at Tripoli port carrying 34 millions of litres of petrol.
Analysts say besides the power cuts that have put some petrol stations out of service, it is the lack of petrol stations in Tripoli that are exacerbating the petrol station crisis.
This is a result of a Qaddafi-era policy to reduce the number of petrol stations in Tripoli for “security reasons”.
The power cuts have only affected some petrol stations which have not been equipped with power generators. Other petrol stations are operating on a 24 hour basis.
The fighting on the outskirts of Tripoli have also contributed to overcrowding in Tripoli by tens of thousands of internally displaced moving to the capital.
The Tripoli petrol shortage is compounded by long debilitating power cuts, internet cuts and the water cut.
All this with the background of ongoing fighting between the pro Khalifa Hafter forces and the forces defending Tripoli since 4 April.
