By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Ghana Chamber of Bulk Oil Distributors (CBOD) is urging swift action from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to halt the MT Marlin Ametrine’s attempted berthing on Ghana’s shores.
According to CBOD, the move will protect the integrity of Ghana’s petroleum sector. Saying it has “credible and verified” information on an attempt made by the MT Marlin Ametrine to berth at Ghanaian shores on June 23, 2025, which it said will be an alleged violation of its revised laycan schedule.
In a letter, copied to the President and the Energy Ministry, the Chamber signals’s readiness to support further engagements on the matter.
In an official letter to the NPA, CBOD’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Patrick Kwaku Ofori, expressed deep concern that allowing the vessel to dock outside the approved window would not only breach petroleum import protocols but also undermine the authority’s regulatory credibility.
According to the Chamber, its investigations point to a group of Nigerian oil traders, reportedly displaced by the Dangote Oil Refinery, as orchestrators of the unauthorised move.
CBOD further alleges that the effort may be backed by certain unnamed political figures, raising red flags over potential attempts to bypass due process for commercial advantage.
“This isn’t just a logistical concern; it threatens national supply stability and consumer protection,” a portion of the letter asserted.
It estimates that scheduling violations contributed an additional GHS 0.60 per litre to fuel prices from January to May 2025, a cost borne by Ghanaian consumers.
The Chamber is of the view that deviations from the laycan schedule risk triggering demurrage liabilities and broader disruptions within the petroleum import system, ultimately destabilizing pump prices.
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