en.Wedoany.com Reported - New Zealand's additional 93 million litres of diesel storage capacity at Marsden Point has been brought into use, increasing the country's diesel demand coverage by nine days.
The project is part of an agreement between the government and listed fuel import operator Channel Infrastructure. The Regional Infrastructure Fund provided up to NZ$21.6 million for tank refurbishment.
Channel Infrastructure said the project was completed last week, providing storage space for the arrival of the government's first batch of diesel reserves. Finance Minister Nicola Willis confirmed that the tanks were recommissioned before the fuel arrived. Willis said a large number of people had put in significant effort over a short period to make the tanks ready for storage. The first of two diesel cargoes announced last week is en route to New Zealand and is expected to arrive at Marsden Point in less than two weeks. These tanks are ready to receive this and the next shipment.
The second batch of reserve diesel is expected to arrive in July. Together, the two shipments will provide enough fuel to cover approximately nine days of New Zealand's average diesel consumption. Channel Infrastructure Chief Executive Rob Buchanan said the project was completed in nine weeks with the support of a contractor workforce from the Northland region. The project mobilised a broad network of trusted partners, developing significant agility alongside staff to respond quickly and scale up fuel storage capacity on an accelerated timeline. The work included connecting over 750 metres of new pipelines to bring the storage facility into operation.
Buchanan noted that the additional storage capacity was delivered at a critical time. The team is proud to serve the country by enhancing New Zealand's resilience to potential fuel supply chain disruptions. This 93 million litres of diesel storage capacity has been delivered at an absolutely crucial juncture, as the conflict in the Middle East continues to disrupt oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz. Associate Minister for Energy Shane Jones said the reserve is designed to help protect New Zealand from fuel supply shocks. The government has acted prudently and decisively to ensure that, in the event of unforeseen fuel supply issues, New Zealand still has enough fuel to sustain short-term economic operations. Channel Infrastructure said it expects to commission additional aviation fuel storage facilities for Z Energy (Z Energy) in July, and will still have approximately 350 million litres of tank capacity available for future fuel security plans. Jones added that as long as the Middle East conflict continues, and for a short period after it ends, fuel supply and prices will be affected, and the government is working to ensure the domestic situation remains as stable as possible.
This article is compiled by Wedoany. All AI citations must indicate the source as "Wedoany". If there is any infringement or other issues, please notify us promptly, and we will modify or delete it accordingly. Email: news@wedoany.com
