Maravi

ERB suspends BP tankers over unrenewed licence

ERB suspends BP tankers over unrenewed licence
Written by Chiwoyu Sinyangwe
Thursday, January 22, 2009 9:28:02 AM

ENERGY Regulation Board (ERB) has suspended BP Zambia Plc’s fleet of tankers for allegedly operating illegally after the expiry of its licence.

And ERB has disclosed that the BP Mercedes Benz tanker carrying 33,000 litres of diesel which overturned on the Kitwe-Chingola road last month was unlicenced to carry fuel.

According to a statement released by ERB communications officer Kwali Mfuni, BP Zambia Plc’s licence to transport petroleum products expired on August 26, 2008 and had not been renewed.

Kwali stated that BP Zambia Plc, the country’s biggest Oil Marketing Company, which has a combined retail and commercial/industrial market share of about 58 per cent and a leading supplier of fuel to the mining sector, had not lodged an application for renewal before the expiry of the licence and that it had, until last Monday, been operating its tanker fleet illegally.

“The ERB directive was issued after a hearing held on 16th January 2009 when BP Zambia Plc failed to justify why it was operating a tanker fleet without a licence duly issued by the ERB. At the same hearing, BP Zambia Plc also failed to justify why it had used an unlicenced tanker that was involved in an accident on 3rd December 2008 on the Kitwe-Chingola road,” stated Mfuni. “ERB’s directive means that BP Zambia Plc will not be able to use its tanker fleet to transport petroleum products until its new licence application to transport petroleum products is approved by the ERB.”

Mfuni, however, stated that in the period of the suspension, BP Zambia Plc might use licenced transporters to move its petroleum products.

“It is required that all tankers used for the transportation of petroleum products be certified by the Zambia Bureau of Standards, Zambia Weights and Measures and ERB on an annual basis and that all transporters be in possession of the valid licence issued by the ERB,” stated Mfuni.

Last month, a BP Zambia Plc fuel tanker registration number AAM 8033 and trailer registration number AAL 2497T, which was heading to Chingola, flipped just after Ichimpe plantations turnoff around 14:00 hours after the driver lost control.

When contacted, BP Zambia Plc general manager Cremion Mapfumba could not comment on the matter, saying he was in a meeting and promised to call back.

Labels: ERB, FUEL, OIL

posted by MrK @ 9:30 AM