VELOS AMBER

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Tankers turned back to Antwerp after Nigeria rejected gasoline cargoes for too much methanol

The 'STI SYmphony' and 'Velos Diamantis', both carrying gasoline loaded in Antwerp, have turned back to their port of load on Feb 2 resp. Feb 4, 2022, after initially having been destined for Lagos after Nigeria rejected other gasoline cargoes loaded in Antwerp for containing too much methanol. Nigeria’s state oil firm NNPC said it had received four tankers carrying unusable gasoline that was loaded in Belgium by Litasco, the trading arm of Russia’s Lukoil, and sold on to local traders. In January, the fuel was found to contain too much methanol and was removed from circulation, causing shortages. Since then, NNPC has banned methanol content in future gasoline deliveries. Previously Nigeria did not specify methanol content. NNPC has requested emergency supplies of 500,000 tonnes to replace the shortfall. Litasco had chartered the 'STI Symphony' for Jan. 15 to take 90,000 tonnes of gasoline to Lagos. SHe loaded the gasoline in Antwerp after its arrival on Jan 16 before sailing to Lagos on Jan 24. The tanker did a U-turn off the coast of Guinea on Feb. 2 and was now heading back to the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp oil hub. The 'Velos Diamantis', carrying 60,000 tonnes gasoline, did a U-turn on Feb. 4. She was chartered by Mercuria and had berthed in Antwerp on Jan 25. She left the port on Feb 2.