The UK is set to experience a shortage of diesel within a fortnight due to a fall in imports caused by the disruption to fuel supply and transit the Iranian conflict has brought about.
Industry insiders say that while we won’t run out of diesel, supplies are set to drop by 10% by mid-April. Unleaded is less affected both because the UK refines more of that product domestically, while importing around 20% of the 23m tonnes of diesel used here each year. Our reliance on road haulage means around 60% of the road fuel sold in the UK is diesel.
Four senior industry sources voiced their concern of diesel shortages to The Times, which broke the story. One told the paper: ”Within a fortnight, the last of the oil cargo ships that left the Gulf before the conflict started will arrive, and it is after that point that you will start to see problems. While the price of diesel has gone up so far, it has not gone up to the levels that have slowed demand.”
Wael Sawan, Shell’s chief executive, said the fuel shortages being seen in Asia will filter through to Europe in the coming weeks, with jet fuel supplies already being impacted here.
Should a shortage manifest, the government could implement its National Emergency Plan for Fuel, which would see some forecourts set aside as Designated Filling Stations, supplying only emergency-service and other critical vehicles.
A spokesperson for Fuels Industry UK told the paper: “The UK fuels sector is resilient and has been – and continues – to function well to keep supply stable and support customers. People can continue to buy fuel as normal.”
