Govt relaxes fuel standards to avert shortages amid global supply strain

A man carries petrol in a plastic container on Koinange Street, Nairobi.  [Wilberforce Okwiri, Standard]

The government has temporarily relaxed fuel quality standards in a bid to avert a possible shortage as global supply chains strain under the weight of ongoing tensions in the Middle East.

Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said the ministry has approved a six-month waiver on sulphur limits in petrol and diesel, effectively allowing the importation of slightly lower-quality fuel.

“This measure is temporary and intended to ensure continued fuel availability and sustain economic stability during the current period of global supply disruption," Kinyanjui said in a statement issued on Thursday.

" It will be reviewed at the end of the six months, or earlier if global supply conditions improve,” he added.

The decision follows mounting concerns from players in the petroleum sector, who have struggled to source fuel that meets Kenya’s current, stricter standards.

To cushion the country from potential shortages, Kinyanjui said the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, under the guidance of the National Standards Council, sought approval to temporarily raise the sulphur limit to a maximum of 50mg/kg for both diesel and petrol.

According to the CS, the request underwent a comprehensive technical review in consultation with the Kenya Bureau of Standards and the National Standards Council before approval was granted.

Kenya has in recent years shifted to cleaner fuels with lower sulphur content, a move aimed at protecting the environment and improving compatibility with modern engines.

However, the ongoing geopolitical tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel have made it increasingly difficult to secure adequate supplies of such fuel.

Industry stakeholders have linked the challenge to disruptions in global oil supply routes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical transit corridor through which about 20 per cent of the world’s oil passes.