adminAbigail Mawonde Business Reporter
THE Feruka Pipeline is now handling 96 percent of the country’s fuel imports from about 71 percent after Government imposed a penalty of US4c per litre on companies importing fuel using road to transport the product.
Speaking at the commissioning of the biogas project at Sandringham in Norton on Monday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Mr Patson Mbiriri said 96 percent of fuel imports were now coming into the country though the Beira–Harare pipeline. The Government imposed the penalty to encourage use of the pipeline.
Mr Mbiriri said the bulk tankers were damaging roads and the penalty was encouraging fuel importers to use the pipeline, which is also cheaper.
“Following this action, we have since realised that most of our fuel, about 96 percent, is now coming in through the pipeline,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri said huge volumes of fuel now flow through the pipeline and measures were taken to make sure it is not overwhelmed.
“We have introduced a drag reducing agent which lubricates fuel so that it moves faster therefore resulting in large volumes being delivered in a short space of time. “The movement of fuel is now 25 percent more than what it was before,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri said Government intends to install three booster pumps between Beira and Harare to increase the flow of fuel into the country.
This, he said, would be followed by installation of bigger engines from Beira to Wilton Farm between Feruka and Harare.
Mr Mbiriri said plans to construct a second pipeline were on course. Zimbabwe is at the centre of fuel distribution with countries like Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi, sourcing their fuel from Harare.
Abigail Mawonde
Business Reporter
THE Feruka Pipeline is now handling 96 percent of the country’s fuel imports from about 71 percent after Government imposed a penalty of US4c per litre on companies importing fuel using road to transport the product.
Speaking at the commissioning of the biogas project at Sandringham in Norton on Monday, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development Mr Patson Mbiriri said 96 percent of fuel imports were now coming into the country though the Beira–Harare pipeline. The Government imposed the penalty to encourage use of the pipeline.
Mr Mbiriri said the bulk tankers were damaging roads and the penalty was encouraging fuel importers to use the pipeline, which is also cheaper.
“Following this action, we have since realised that most of our fuel, about 96 percent, is now coming in through the pipeline,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri said huge volumes of fuel now flow through the pipeline and measures were taken to make sure it is not overwhelmed.
“We have introduced a drag reducing agent which lubricates fuel so that it moves faster therefore resulting in large volumes being delivered in a short space of time. “The movement of fuel is now 25 percent more than what it was before,” he said.
Mr Mbiriri said Government intends to install three booster pumps between Beira and Harare to increase the flow of fuel into the country.
This, he said, would be followed by installation of bigger engines from Beira to Wilton Farm between Feruka and Harare.
Mr Mbiriri said plans to construct a second pipeline were on course. Zimbabwe is at the centre of fuel distribution with countries like Botswana, Zambia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Malawi, sourcing their fuel from Harare.
Online Reporter