A petrol shortage in Vava’u was eased this morning, 26 September, with the unloading of six tanktainers of fuel from the MV Leiloa, which arrived in Vava’u on Saturday afternoon.

Vava’u has been suffering a petrol shortage since early September. The last time a Pacific Energy Ltd Local Costal Tanker called into Vava’u was on 18 August.

Leilua Taufa, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Revenue and Customs, Vava’u, said this morning that the MV Leiloa of the Matson Shipping arrived with its shipment of six tanktainers for the Kingdom Shipping Agency of Neiafu, Vava’u. Each tanktainer contains 23,000 litres of fuel, and there were two of diesel and four of petrol.

A spokersperson at the Governor’s Office said that the fuel was being sold at the Small Industries Centre, Kameli, and that the price for Petrol is $2.99 per litre, higher than the recommended $2.33, “but it is better than nothing,” she said.

The two companies importing fuel for Tonga are Pacific Energy Ltd. and Total Fiji Ltd.

Total Fiji Ltd is the sole supplier of diesel fuel for Tonga Power Ltd, the sole provider of electricity for the whole of Tonga. Total imports fuel in tanktainers carried on ships.

Pacific Energy Ltd. is the main supplier of petrol fuel and the only one that regularly sends a Local Costal Tanker to refill its depots in Nuku’alofa, Tongatapu and Toula, Vava’u.

According to the Tonga manager of Pacific Energy Ltd., Paula Taufa, they are having problems securing a bigger Local Coastal Tanker, and that was the reason for the hold up in deliveries, but a tanker was expected to arrive in Tonga next Wednesday, 5 October.