The key facts
- A resident of Denpasar reported waiting seven hours in a queue for gasoline.
- Pertamina: tanker unloading delayed due to an anchor problem and traffic jams; fuel stocks on the island are not exhausted.
- From October 14 to 17, an additional 57.9 million liters of gasoline are expected; 60 Denpasar gas stations are operating around the clock.
Panic buying of fuel in Bali
On the Indonesian resort island of Bali, queues of motorcycles and cars stretched along roads across the island after fuel delivery delays. One resident of Denpasar said she waited about seven hours in the heat to buy gasoline.
Causes: logistics, not a shortage
Officials blamed distribution delays rather than the exhaustion of fuel stocks on the island. The state energy company Indonesia Pertamina said the unloading of a tanker was delayed due to a problem with its anchor, and traffic jams slowed delivery to gas stations. The situation was worsened by panic buying of fuel, especially the cheap subsidized Pertalite gasoline.
Government measures and supplies
Bali Governor Wayan Koster urged residents not to panic, noting that fuel remains available in storage depots. Pertamina said on Wednesday that from October 14 to 17 an additional 57.9 million liters of gasoline are planned to be delivered to the island. Supplies have been increased and are being carried out around the clock, with 60 gas stations in Denpasar operating 24 hours a day. Despite the additional supplies, queues persisted.
