adminStatistics released by National Oil Infrastructure Company show that a total of 1 386 832 530 litres of fuel was transported through the pipeline in 2012 compared to 1 029 443 512 pumped the previous year.
The Zimbabwe fuel importers had previously been opting for road transport citing various challenges, which had been associated with using the pipeline from the Mozambican port of Beira to the Feruka oil refinery in Mutare before further transportation to Msasa in Harare.
This prompted the Government to introduce a road fuel levy to induce importers to utilise the pipeline.
In an interview with CAJ News, Energy and Power Development Minister Elton Mangoma said over 90 percent of Zimbabwe’s fuel was now coming through the conduit.
“For the first two months of 2013, no fuel was brought into the country by road from Beira. Only some few litres were brought in by rail from Matola near Maputo in Mozambique into the country.
“We are planning to install additional pumps along the pipeline to increase the volume of the pipeline by 35 to 40 percent. We are introducing a drag reducing agent to increase the through put of the pipeline,” Minister Mangoma said, adding that there were plans to increase the carrying capacity of the pipe.
The conduit has the capacity to pump four million litres of oil per day from Mozambique to Zimbabwe.
The 287km-long pipeline stretches from Beira in Mozambique to the Feruka oil refinery outside.
Zimbabwe, through NOIC, controls 21km of the Feruka pipeline, while Mozambique through its company, Companhiado Pipeline Mozambique-Zimbabwe, controls the rest.
The two Southern African neighbours are also planning to construct a second pipeline from Savanna, Mozambique, to Zimbabwe to augment the existing pipeline. – CAJ News.
Online Reporter