Despite reports of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) shortages across Colombo, with consumers struggling to obtain cylinders and dealers reporting supply disruptions for nearly two weeks, Litro Gas Lanka has attributed the situation to a two-day shipment delay.
Litro Gas Lanka Chairman Channa Gunawardana said that LPG supplies were expected to return to normal after a two-day shipment delay, dismissing allegations that delays in opening Letters of Credit (LCs) or payment issues had affected imports.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Gunawardana said that the delay had temporarily disrupted supplies, while the company was also attempting to meet additional demand amid a shortage of gas supplied by LAUGFS Gas.
“There was a delay for two days. Gas is now coming to the market and things will settle down,” he said, adding that Litro was gradually stocking supplies to meet demand.
Gunawardana attributed the disruption to a vessel delay involving a shipment that had arrived in the Maldives, which had subsequently delayed the arrival of gas for Litro by two days. He said that the company was also supplying in order to meet the supply shortage from LAUGFS Gas while addressing its own backlog.
“The vessel carrying gas to the Maldives was delayed by two days, so we only received our supply after two days. LAUGFS Gas is also facing a shortage, so we are trying to cover that requirement as well, while addressing our own shortage. However, gas is now coming to the market,” Gunawardana said.
Dismissing allegations that delays in opening LCs had contributed to the shortage, Gunawardana said that Litro was operating under a one-year contract and that there were no issues relating to LCs or payments.
Providing an update on incoming stocks, he said that Litro had received 3,900 MT of LPG on Wednesday (14), with another shipment carrying approximately 3,500 MT expected to arrive.
He added that the situation would improve over the following days, saying that supplies would gradually increase as the company refilled the stocks and cleared the backlog.
“There should be no shortage after Sunday, as gas supplies are gradually reaching the market,” Gunawardana said, adding that Litro was working to clear the accumulated shortfall, while gas was being released to the market progressively.
Meanwhile, consumers have faced difficulties obtaining LPG, with dealers in several parts of Colombo reporting that stocks had run out by Wednesday. Dealers complained that disruptions to gas supplies had persisted for nearly two weeks, leaving outlets unable to meet consumer demand despite assurances that supplies would return to normal.