Sonatrach's In Ecker ship. (Photo taken from the ship tracking site, Vessel Finder)
Algerian oil and gas company Sonatrach began on Tuesday the procedures for shipping to Lebanon a first cargo of fuel estimated at 30,000 tons, to support the country in energy and help it overcome the crisis it is currently going through, Algerian media Nahar Online announced. The cargo, which was processed at the port of Skikda, will be sent to Lebanon on Thursday, aboard Sonatrach's Algerian-flagged In Ecker tanker.
According to Sonatrach, the decision was taken on the orders of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, "in a gesture that reflects the depth of bilateral relations between Algeria and Lebanon," Nahar said. The Algerian oil and gas company added that these quantities of fuel would allow Lebanon to operate its power plants and restore electricity.
L'Orient-Le Jour tried to contact Sonatrach to confirm the information but has still not received a response. According to the Marine Traffic ship traffic tracking site, the In Ecker oil tanker was positioned on Aug. 19, 2024 at the Mediterranean port of Skikda, in Algeria.
Fayad and the Algerian ambassador
Algeria had announced last Sunday the "immediate" supply of fuel to Lebanon, without further details or a timetable. The question still remains whether this donation will be a one-off gesture or whether it will develop into a new agreement between the two countries, after the suspension of the first agreement in April 2020 due to the "defective fuel" scandal. The decision of the Algerian authorities was also announced on Sunday to the caretaker Lebanese prime minister, Najib Mikati, by his Algerian counterpart, Nadir Larbaoui, during a call.
The caretaker Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayad received the Algerian ambassador to Lebanon Rachid Belbaki, with whom he discussed the details of the donation of "fuel" that Algeria intends to provide to Lebanon, based on the directives of Algerian President Abdelmouhid Tebboune, in order to help Lebanon overcome the crisis of total darkness, according to the state-run National News Agency (NNA).
Fayad thanked Ambassador Belbaki for Algeria's initiative, appreciating "his constant support to Lebanon in various fields." The two personalities agreed to finalize discussions to determine the amount of the donation and the date of its arrival.
The Algerian donation was announced after Electricite du Liban was forced to shut down the last production unit still online at the Zahrani power station on Saturday due to a lack of fuel, causing a blackout of the power produced by the public supplier.
This article originally appeared in French in L'Orient-Le Jour.
