Amid a persistent regional fuel crisis, a major shipment of 34,000 tonnes of diesel from Malaysia arrived at Chattogram Port on Friday night.
The vessel, Shan Gang Fa Jian, is the tenth diesel tanker to reach Bangladesh since the onset of the Middle East conflict, signaling the government’s shift toward alternative energy sources.
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) Secretary Syed Refayet Hamim confirmed the arrival on Saturday morning, noting that the ship is currently stationed at the Kutubdia Channel in the Bay of Bengal.
Due to its draft, approximately 5,000 to 6,000 tonnes of fuel will be unloaded at the outer anchorage through "lightening" operations before the vessel can safely dock at the Dolphin Jetty in Patenga, expected this Sunday.
The shipment, managed by local agent Pride Shipping Lines, departed Malaysia on March 29.
"The lightening process will require at least two separate operations. If weather conditions remain favorable, the ship will move to the jetty by tomorrow," stated Nazrul Islam, Managing Partner of Pride Shipping Lines.
Simultaneously, another tanker, Yan Jing He, which arrived from Singapore with 27,300 tonnes of diesel, is currently offloading its cargo at Padma Oil’s Dolphin Jetty-6.
It is scheduled to depart the port on Sunday. To mitigate the impact of the Middle East war on the national economy, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has been prioritizing oil and gas vessels.
BPC sources emphasized that the corporation is aggressively importing fuel from Southeast Asian hubs to ensure a steady supply and bypass the volatility of Middle Eastern shipping routes.
| Vessel Name | Origin | Cargo Volume | Current Status |
| Shan Gang Fa Jian | Malaysia | 34,000 Tonnes | Lightening at Kutubdia Channel |
| Yan Jing He | Singapore | 27,300 Tonnes | Unloading at Dolphin Jetty-6 |
