Drivers have been filling up at petrol stations after long queues built up creating chaos at many petrol stations in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: SGGP)
From noon on March 10, motorists queued for petrol at petrol stations in the inner city while queues also formed in suburbs, among other places.
An employee of the IMC petrol station on Phan Huy Ich Street in Go Vap District said that people heard that gasoline prices increased sharply tomorrow, so they flocked to filling gas stations even those having more than half a tank of gas left, but they also wait to fill up the tank. Some people even bring cans to buy petrol, but gas filling stations refused to sell petrol to these people because the regulations don't allow it.
Meanwhile, Mr. Vo Quoc Hung in Binh Chanh District said that he and many people had to wait an hour for their turn because people went to fill up with unusually crowded petrol.
In the face of the situation of people crowding to fill up with gas, some petrol stations on streets Pham Van Chieu, Phan Van Tri, Nguyen Oanh in Go Vap District, the National Highway 22 in District 12, and Thu Duc City announced no more RON 95 petrol left.
Meanwhile, the system of large petroleum enterprises under state management such as Saigon Petro, Petrolimex, Satra said that up to this point, gas filling stations are still operating normally, there is no shortage of petrol.
However, because the supply of gasoline is not as abundant as before, these businesses only give priority to their station chains not selling to other stores in the other systems.
At noon on the same day, a leader of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade confirmed that inspectors have paid visits to several fill stations, there was a real shortage of RON 95 gasoline at some stores but these stores are still open selling other items. He affirmed these stations will be supplied RON 95 gasoline later.
He added that currently, the department's inspectors continue to check and work with petrol and oil suppliers to ensure the supply of gasoline to gas filling stations.
This afternoon, Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nguyen Phuong signed a document to relevant state management units on continuing to implement solutions to ensure the supply of petroleum in the city.
According to key businesses in Ho Chi Minh City, the price of imported gasoline has increased so high that the price of gasoline at the operating period tomorrow may increase sharply, causing the domestic gasoline price to exceed VND30,000 a liter.
Petrol dealers and retailers continue to actively work with suppliers, ensure adequate supply of goods, maintain continuous petroleum business activities at petrol and oil retail stores to ensure an adequate and timely supply to serve domestic production, business, and consumption needs. Gas filling stations should promptly report to the city's Department of Industry and Trade in case of limited or interrupted supply of petroleum to ensure normal operation.
Currently, crude oil price on the world market has reached US$125.68 s barrel for WTI, and Brent oil is $130.53 a barrel. Worse, the price of petroleum products has also increased to $142-$158 a barrel (the price in early March), an increase of $51-$69 a barrel compared to that on January 1, 2022.
