Abdelbasit Al-Jabou, Director General of the Energy and Public Companies Sector Oversight Department at the Audit Bureau, told our source exclusively that Libya’s average fuel consumption over the past three years has amounted to approximately $12 billion annually, covering both fuel imported from abroad and fuel refined domestically.
He expects total fuel imports this year to reach approximately $15 billion, attributing this first to an increase in quantities and, second, to higher prices resulting from the rise in global oil prices amid the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz.
Al-Jabou added that the increase in quantities was also driven by a lack of proper scheduling of shipments and difficulties in vessels docking at some ports, which affected the regularity of supplies both technically and in terms of shipment arrival times. Some shipments scheduled for July were delayed until August, while others scheduled for August are expected to arrive in September. This scheduling disruption has caused considerable confusion, particularly in Tripoli.
Al-Jabou explained that Tripoli’s gasoline needs are supplied directly from vessels at the Port of Tripoli because the city lacks sufficient storage capacity. Delays in vessels entering the port resulted in a supply crisis that, in his assessment, lasted for more than ten days.
He continued that two shipments were found to be non-compliant with specifications upon arrival and were therefore rejected. This affected fuel supplies and shipment scheduling. In addition, the recent global shortage of fuel supplies, caused partly by the shutdown of some refineries, contributed to difficulties in ensuring fuel availability at the required times.
Al-Jabou stressed that the significant price difference between diesel at filling stations and its price on the black market has made it a highly attractive commodity for smuggling and profiteering, with these factors having a particularly significant impact on gasoline supplies.
He said this has especially affected the allocation of gasoline to Tripoli. As is well known, Tripoli has no tanks, storage facilities, or depots capable of holding strategic quantities of fuel or maintaining a strategic reserve to deal with such crises, particularly during peak months.
Al-Jabou noted that August is often one of the months in which electricity-related crises occur, which in turn exacerbates diesel and gasoline shortages.
He added that he believes the current fuel crisis will be resolved by the end of September or the beginning of October. However, he stressed the need for fundamental solutions, warning that conditions in the coming period—whether concerning electricity, diesel, or gasoline—will not be the same as they are today, and that queues will continue at their current levels.
Al-Jabou pointed out that in recent months, the number of shipments had been increased compared with the current average or normal supply levels, with the increase exceeding four additional shipments in some months. Nevertheless, the crisis persisted.
Al-Jabou concluded that the problem is therefore not solely related to increasing the number of shipments or the quantities of fuel supplied. It is also linked to shipment scheduling, arrival times, and the availability of sufficient strategic storage capacity to cope with any delays or disruptions in supplies.
