Australian PM says extra diesel shipments secured amid volatile global period
Sydney: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Wednesday announced the government has secured additional diesel shipments.
Albanese told reporters in Sydney that four shipments, two from South Korea and one each from Brunei and Malaysia, with a combined 200 million litres of diesel, have been secured by the government in collaboration with BP and Viva Energy.
He said that the government has been working to guarantee Australia’s domestic fuel supply amid global volatility and that Australia would continue to advocate for a de-escalation of the conflict in the Middle East.
Speaking alongside Albanese, Energy Minister Chris Bowen said that the diesel shipments would arrive in Australia in late May or early June, and would serve as an extra buffer for the national stockpile, Xinhua news agency reported.
Albanese will on Thursday meet with Australian state and territory leaders for fuel security talks for the third time since the conflict in the Middle East began.
Earlier on April 18, Anthony Albanese had said that Australia welcomes the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and will consider deploying military assets to secure shipping in the region.
Speaking to reporters in Sydney, Albanese had welcomed Iran’s announcement that the strait has completely reopened for all commercial vessels during the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.
“This was positive news that we received last night,” Albanese had said.
“We want to see, though, this fragile arrangement confirmed.”
Asked if Australia would deploy military assets to ensure shipping remains open, Albanese said the government would consider any such requests.
“Australia obviously is a long way away as well from the strait, compared with European nations. It’s fair to say that we’ll give consideration to requests which are made when we come together,” he had said.
Albanese was speaking alongside Energy Minister Chris Bowen, who said that Australia has increased its strategic fuel reserves recently.