The Ministry of Energy and Water announced on Monday that it has authorized the unloading of the Minerva Antonia’s cargo, following confirmation that the fuel on board complies with current specifications.
According to a statement released by the Ministry’s press office, the latest tests conducted on samples from the ship’s cargo confirmed that the type B fuel meets the Ministry’s standards and is fit for use. The ship is currently anchored in Lebanese territorial waters.
These positive results follow a new round of testing ordered by Minister of Energy and Water Joe Saddi on June 12.
The samples were sent on June 9 to the International Cargo Surveyors laboratories in Geneva, which issued their findings on June 13. Initial results had been provided by the Bureau Veritas laboratory in Dubai.
As a result, the Ministry has given the green light for the fuel to be offloaded into the tanks of Lebanon’s public power provider, Électricité du Liban (EDL).
Power Plants Still Dependent on Imported Fuel
Electricity production in Lebanon relies primarily on the Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants, while the Jiyeh and Zouk plants are currently out of service due to maintenance.
Zahrani and Deir Ammar are powered by gasoil delivered monthly to EDL under the fuel exchange agreement signed with Iraq on July 23, 2021. Under the agreement, which came into effect in September of that year, Iraq supplies Lebanon with 100,000 tons of fuel per month under preferential terms.
However, the high sulfur content of the Iraqi fuel makes it unsuitable for direct use in Lebanese power plants. To address this issue, Lebanon holds tenders to purchase compatible fuel from third-party suppliers, who in turn receive the Iraqi fuel as part of the exchange deal.
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