Govt Approves Emergency Import of 260,000 Tonnes of Fuel amid Global Tensions

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday gave its in-principle approval for the emergency procurement of 260,000 metric tonnes of fuel, including diesel and crude oil, to bolster national reserves amid a volatile global energy market.

The meeting, chaired by Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, aimed to secure the country’s energy supply as tensions rise in the Gulf region. 

According to committee sources, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division received the green light for three major import proposals utilizing both the Direct Purchase Method (DPM) and Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangements.

In a strategic effort to prevent supply disruptions, the committee approved the purchase of 100,000 metric tons of crude oil from Abeer Trade & Global Markets. 

Additionally, under a G2G framework, 60,000 metric tons of 0.5% sulfur gas oil will be imported from Indonesia’s state-listed firm, PT Bumi Siak Pusako Zapin (BSP Zapin). 

The committee also cleared the purchase of 100,000 metric tons of 50 PPM sulfur diesel from Maxwell International SPC.

While several proposals moved forward, the Energy and Mineral Resources Division withdrew two items from the agenda. 

These included a proposal for 100,000 metric tons of EN590-10 PPM sulfur diesel from ExxonMobil Kazakhstan Inc. (EMKI) and 60,000 metric tons of 0.5% sulfur gas oil from Archer Energy LLC.

Officials explained that the direct purchase method is being prioritized to bypass lengthy tendering processes, ensuring a steady energy supply while international markets remain unstable. 

The approved proposals will now be forwarded to the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) for final price verification and contract awarding.

Fuel Type	Quantity (Metric Tonnes)	Supplier	Method
Crude Oil	100,000	Abeer Trade & Global Markets	DPM
0.5% Sulfur Gas Oil	60,000	PT Bumi Siak Pusako Zapin (Indonesia)	G2G
50 PPM Sulfur Diesel	100,000	Maxwell International SPC	DPM

With Inputs from UNB