30 Fuel Tankers Arrive in 25 Days; 6 More En Route to Bangladesh

Despite global energy market volatility fueled by ongoing tensions between Iran, the US, and Israel—which have caused disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz—Bangladesh's fuel supply chain remains resilient.

Chattogram Port has seen a steady stream of arrivals, with 30 fuel-laden tankers docking in the last 25 days alone.

Furthermore, six additional vessels are scheduled to arrive by April 4, providing a significant boost to the country's energy security.

Syed Rafayet Hamim, Secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, confirmed that 30 tankers arrived between March 3 and March 28.

"Of these, 27 have already discharged their cargo and departed, while two are currently unloading," he stated. "By April 4, six more vessels are expected, including three carrying LNG, two with gas oil, and one with LPG."

Strategic Access via the Strait of Hormuz
In a strategic development amidst the regional conflict, Iran has reportedly assured safe passage through the vital Strait of Hormuz for ships from five specific "friendly nations," including Bangladesh.

Tehran indicated the waterway remains open for approved countries, a list that includes India, China, Russia, Iraq, and Pakistan alongside Bangladesh.

Port data reveals a diverse range of imports since March 3:

• LNG: 6 ships (5 from Qatar, 1 from Australia).
• LPG: 8 ships (3 from Malaysia, 2 from Oman, 2 from India, 1 from Singapore).
• Gas Oil: 5 ships (2 from Singapore, 2 from Malaysia, 1 from India).
• High Sulfur Fuel Oil: 4 ships (all from Singapore).

Concerns Over Crude Oil
While the supply of refined fuel remains stable, concerns have emerged regarding crude oil imports. Bangladesh typically imports between 100,000 to 150,000 tons of crude monthly for processing at the state-owned Eastern Refinery.

However, due to the war climate, neither of the two scheduled crude shipments for March has arrived. The last crude oil consignment reached the country on February 18.

Despite this delay, officials at the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) noted that the nation is not overly reliant on crude.

Of the country’s annual demand of 6.5 to 6.8 million tons of fuel, only 20% is imported as crude oil from the Middle East, while the remaining 80% is imported as refined product from Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia.