BEIRUT — Lebanon's caretaker Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayyad said on Tuesday that the 30,000 metric tons of fuel oil, that was donated by the Algerian state, would be "unloaded in Tripoli's facilities and supplied in the coming days after conditions allow it," according to the state-run National News Agency.
The Algerian ship "In Ecker," which carries the 30,000 metric tons of fuel oil, arrived in Tripoli on Tuesday and anchored in the sea near the city's oil facilities.
Earlier this month, Lebanon experienced a total state-provided electricity blackout, after exhausting the fuel reserves allocated to the country’s power plants. Until this most recent blackout, the state was providing around four to six hours of electricity daily.
"The amount of 30,000 tons, ... which is one of the best qualities in the market in terms of the amount of sulfur in it ... will be supplied in the coming days after conditions allow it," Fayyad said during a visit to Tripoli's oil facilities.
“Today, Algeria is continuing its assistance to Lebanon in the face of difficulties through its generous initiative of providing high-quality fuel. We in Lebanon ... recognize Algeria and thank it and its President, who took the initiative quickly after receiving information about the crisis in Lebanon."
Algeria is the leading African exporter of natural gas and the 7th worldwide.
"This step contributes somewhat to breaking the international blockade on investments in Lebanon, and we want this initiative to continue and to have a prospect for investments in the energy sector in Lebanon, whether in fuel, gas or infrastructure," Fayyad said in response to a question.
Fayyad was accompanied by the Algeria ambassador to Lebanon Rachid Belbaki, who stated, “I am very happy to be present in the port of Tripoli on this happy occasion in which we receive the fuel ship, and I am happy to be present with ... Fayyad who worked hard for ten days. We were in constant communication with him to accomplish this operation and transfer this gift from the President of Algeria Abdelmajid Tebboune."
"Tebboune will not abandon Lebanon and has repeated this on several occasions,” he added.
Also on Tuesday, Fayyad
announced that the oil tanker Chem Helen, a tanker carrying 30,000 tons of Egyptian diesel, arrived at the Zahrani terminal and started discharging its cargo — allowing the electricity supply to increase by four and six hours.
Commenting on the Chem Helen oil tanker, Fayyad said, “It is now at the Zahrani plant undergoing tests to determine the quality of the goods on board, it will be unloaded in the warehouses of Electricité du Liban in the next two days and hopefully the supply will increase within days, perhaps starting this Thursday."
Fayyad then toured the facilities, examining their readiness and working on overcoming logistical issues to speed up the unloading process and start operating the plants.
Additionally, the Litani Authority announced on Wednesday that a "service line was secured to supply electricity to the Rafik Hariri Hospital and avoid the closure of the hospital due to the high cost of diesel ... under the guidance of [Speaker of Parliament] Nabih Berri and after the endeavors of the Litani National Authority in cooperation with Electricité du Liban."
The Litani Authority added that this line was "developed from the production of hydroelectric power plants belonging to the Litani Authority which was put on the public grid."
BEIRUT — Lebanon's caretaker Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayyad said on Tuesday that the 30,000 metric tons of fuel oil, that was donated by the Algerian state, would be "unloaded in Tripoli's facilities and supplied in the coming days after conditions allow it," according to the state-run National News Agency.The Algerian ship "In Ecker," which carries the 30,000 metric tons of fuel oil,...
