COLOMBO, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government is taking steps to safeguard fuel supplies through long-term procurement and carefully scheduled shipments, Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said Friday.
Addressing the country's parliament, Dissanayake outlined the government's strategy to protect energy security amid global disruptions, saying Sri Lanka is prioritizing stability, transparency, and continuity in fuel supplies.
Sri Lanka continues to receive refined fuel from suppliers in Singapore and India under long-term agreements without disruption, he said. However, problems emerged with crude oil supplies from Fujairah, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where a scheduled 90,000-metric-tonne shipment due on March 24 and 25 was postponed after an attack on the port. Another previously awarded crude oil shipment from Fujairah also failed to materialize.
In response, the Sri Lankan government called additional tenders on March 5 for fuel, which had been secured for April, while one crude oil cargo had been awarded for delivery in June after no suppliers came forward for April, said the president.
He said Sri Lanka would prioritize importing refined fuel if crude oil supplies cannot be secured. ■
