Fuel shortage risk in south-west

THERE is a risk of an oil shortage in the south-west because of on-going strikes at the Fos-sur-Mer and Lavera oil terminals near Marseille.

The facilities have now been blocked for 10 days by striking workers. Forty-four ships have been waiting offshore unable to unload cargoes.

The CGT union is behind the strike, which is a reaction to port reforms including plans to hive off the running of the oil terminals to a new public-private partnership subsidiary instead of it being run by the port authority.

The blockage has already caused serious petrol shortages in Corsica, where most of the service stations have been requisitioned to supply only public services.

A ship has been chartered by oil companies in Sardinia and is being loaded with petrol to take to Corsica.

In the south-east of France, the government organised special supplies for petrol stations at the weekend to stave off shortages.

The situation would be exacerbated if oil refineries, which turn crude oil into fuels, decide to take part in solidarity with the port workers. Union officials have said this is under consideration.

In any case, there could be petrol shortages across the south-east within the next fortnight if deliveries to the terminals do not restart.

A CGT delegate at a refinery at Berre-l’Etang, near Marseille, said that, under usual circumstances, they kept about three weeks' worth of stocks.

Transport Minister Dominique Bussereau has said the port reform plans have been passed by parliament and are not up for discussion.

He said in parliament yesterday: "What is going on at Marseille is to the benefit of the Italian, Spanish and Moroccan ports; the loss of traffic to Marseille is a serious thing for the whole economy of our country and that of Marseille in particular.

"If they want to kill the port, they are going the right way about it."