LPG ships reach Uswetakeiyawa buoy; Govt assures stable supply

Colombo, March 18 (Daily Mirror) - Two ships carrying liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) arrived at the gas unloading buoy at Thaldiyawatta in Uswetakeiyawa this morning (18), as authorities moved to strengthen domestic gas supplies amid recent concerns over shortages.

Accordingly, the unloading of gas had already commenced after the vessels reached the offshore buoy facility used for bulk LPG transfers.

Meanwhile, a fuel ship also arrived in the island this morning, further supporting ongoing efforts to maintain uninterrupted energy supplies.

Speaking at a special media briefing yesterday (17), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that Sri Lanka had already received 38,000 metric tons of LPG during March, exceeding the originally estimated requirement for the month.

The President said the country’s expected demand for March was around 33,000 metric tons, but additional quantities were ordered after a private supplier stopped providing gas to the local market.

“We had a gas requirement of 33,000 metric tons in March. But since a private company cut off supply, we ordered 38,000 metric tons. Our Litro company imported the required gas, and all stocks have now been received,” he said.

He added that part of the stock has already been released to the market, while some quantities remain stored in local warehouses and in floating storage facilities in the Maldives.

President Dissanayake further said that another LPG shipment of 33,000 metric tons is expected within the next two days, which would help maintain stable supply levels across the country.

According to him, with the arrival of the additional shipment, the government expects to fully meet current demand and avoid any disruption to household and industrial gas distribution.

He also said that the next scheduled LPG shipment is expected between April 21 and April 23, and expressed confidence that the supply chain would remain uninterrupted.

“Therefore, there will be no crisis in the gas market. The risk of a shortage is low, and we are confident that the next shipment will arrive as planned,” the President said.

Authorities said the latest arrivals are part of a broader plan to ensure continuous fuel and gas availability as the government manages limited energy supplies and fluctuating imports.