Madagascar fuel supply faces risk amid dual tanker arrivals

The Groupement Pétrolier de Madagascar (GPM) has issued an alert regarding potential disruptions to the national fuel supply due to logistical complications at the port of Toamasina. The issue stems from the simultaneous arrival of two separate tankers scheduled for August 12, 2026.

The GPM had planned a shipment containing diesel, unleaded gasoline, and kerosene to maintain market stability. However, the Malagasy government has chartered an additional vessel, the Sunda 1, via the State Procurement of Madagascar (SPM). This tanker, arriving from Nigeria, carries 67 million liters of diesel specifically for Jirama and is intended to cover approximately six months of the utility's needs.

To accommodate this state-chartered shipment, the government has requisitioned the storage capacities at the Toamasina petroleum terminal. The GPM warns that this requisition makes it impossible to discharge their planned vessel, potentially destabilizing the national supply chain. While the GPM expressed concern over the lack of prior consultation, the presidency has framed the arrival of the Sunda 1 as a successful example of South-South cooperation following diplomatic engagements with Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.