Heavy vehicle fuel supplies from Island View Terminal in the Port of Durban has resumed.

In a statement, eThekwini Municipality said the heavy vehicles accessing Island View Terminal have had to use Bluff Road, Lighthouse Road, and Island View Road due to the damage and closure of Bayhead Road.

The fuel distribution operation was constrained to 20% of the normal daily supply chain operation strictly during daytime. The fuel industry and Transnet National Port Authorities raised a concern that the volume of fuel being transported is not sufficient to cater for the country’s fuel requirements and demand. This creates a risk of fuel stations running out of petrol and diesel in the coming days.

“As the current heavy vehicle fuel supply operation moving through the Bluff has been well managed by law enforcement with limited impact, the meeting resolved to allow heavy vehicle fuel supplies to be increased from 20% to 60% of normal daily supply, and for the operation to be conducted over a 24-hour period to avoid fuel shortages throughout the country,” said the municipality.

The heavy vehicle operation through the Bluff will continue to be overseen and managed by Metro Police and South African Police Services and will be suspended once the Bayhead Road Outbound carriageway has been repaired and declared safe for trucking operations. At this point some of the heavy vehicle fuel supplies will revert back to Bayhead Road.

The repair to Bayhead Road Outbound carriageway is expected to be concluded on Tuesday, April 19. Metro Police and South African Police Services will continue to manage this heavy vehicle movement and the fuel industry has committed to heavy vehicles operating within the bounds of the law and to minimising negative impacts on the residents and commuters, it said.

SOURCE:

Heavy vehicle fuel supplies from Island View Terminal in the Port of Durban resumes | Witness (news24.com)