The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) yesterday rejected 40,000 MT of substandard diesel imported from the United Arab Emirates.

Samples from the shipment had reached the Colombo Port three days ago and tests done at the CPC laboratories at Sapugaskanda and Kolonnawa had proved that it was substandard, CPC Managing Director Susantha de Silva said.

De Silva said that the shipment had come from a registered supplier. “We check samples before unloading shipments brought by the CPC or IOC.”

Spokesman for the Ministry of Petroleum Industries Janaka Handunpathirana said the CPC had incurred no losses as the shipment had not been paid for. It has asked for another shipment, he said.

However, he refused to name the foreign company which supplied the order.

Handunpathirana said that the company had agreed to provide a new stock of oil.

The CPC had to pay Rs. 2.8 million as damages to vehicle owners two years ago, after a stock of contaminated petrol was released to the market.

The CPC received substandard diesel stocks on several occasions last year and in February this year. Orders for these oil consignments were placed through a blacklisted supplier. (by Dasun Edirisinghe)

Source: The Islands (Sri Lanka)