A fresh shipment of octane has arrived at Chattogram Port, further strengthening Bangladesh’s fuel supply as demand remains steady.
The Hong Kong-flagged vessel Quichi, carrying approximately 26,000 tonnes of octane from Malaysia, reached the port’s outer anchorage on Thursday morning. According to local agent Pride Shipping Line, unloading operations are scheduled to begin later in the day.
This marks the third octane consignment received in April, following earlier shipments of 26,000 tonnes and 27,000 tonnes that arrived on 8 and 17 April. With the latest delivery, total octane imports for the month have reached around 79,000 tonnes.
Officials say this volume is significant given the country’s daily octane demand of roughly 1,200 tonnes. At this rate, the imported supply is expected to cover national requirements for more than two months, easing concerns over fuel shortages and ensuring smoother distribution across the country.
Nazrul Islam, owner of Pride Shipping Line, noted that additional fuel shipments are already waiting offshore. Several vessels carrying octane and diesel are currently stationed at the outer anchorage, while a few that berthed earlier have started discharging their cargo.
However, handling octane shipments continues to face logistical challenges. The port has only three dolphin jetties dedicated to fuel handling, limiting the number of vessels that can unload at the same time. Moreover, unfavourable weather conditions have slowed operations, causing delays in transferring octane from ships to onshore storage.
Despite these constraints, the steady inflow of octane shipments is expected to maintain supply stability and support the country’s fuel needs in the coming weeks.
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