Seypec stocks up LPG for six months |26 March 2020

Aerial shot of Seypec’s tank farm

The Seychelles Petroleum Company has received a cargo of 1,300MT of liquefied petroleum gas which has now topped up its stock to assure Seychelles six months of supply.

The cargo of 1,300MT of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived in the country on Saturday March 21, 2020 and it was LPG tanker ‘Navigator Scorpio’ which delivered the cargo through Seychelles Petroleum Company (Seypec) supplier ‘Glencore’ which supplies the product in the region, according to a Seypec spokesperson.

The spokesperson added that this was a scheduled trip as normally Seypec tops up its LPG stock three times yearly.

According to the same spokesperson, if there is to be a lockdown, Seypec, being an essential service will continue with its operations to ensure that its products are distributed to petrol stations and stockists within specified times.

However, she added, Seypec has no intention of closing down its operations at all.

When asked if Seypec will still be able to bring in new supplies in the event of a lockdown worldwide, she answered: “For now, the shipping industry has not been hit as hard as aviation has. Our suppliers inclusive of both LPG and bulk products have reassured us of our regular supplies going forward. For LPG, our next supply should be in early August while our supplies for other bulk products come in monthly.”

The spokesperson added that Seypec noticed a large increase in LPG last week, however this has slowed down this week given that people have topped up their stock.

“In fact many people were out buying spare cylinders which we are discouraging as these were reducing our stock of new bottles very fast (normally limited to new home owners or catering facilities etc). As of now we have temporarily ceased the sale of new bottles at service stations given the rush that diminished the supply really fast. In an effort to control the sale of new bottles, customers who require a new LPG cylinder now have to come to Seypec New Port head office.

Also on Saturday March 21, Seypec received a cargo delivering bulk petroleum products and as of today the company has two-and-a-half to three months’ supply of all products including Jet A1, motor gasoline, fuel oil and gasoil.

The next bulk cargo is expected in April and thereafter monthly supplies are still expected.

“We do not anticipate to run out of stock as there is a reduction in consumption of all products especially Jet A1, which will stretch the stock to last for more than three months which by then we anticipate the global crisis to hopefully be under some control,” said the spokesperson.

Compiled by Gerard Govinden

Photo sources: Seypec