September fuel sales up 3.8 pct

By Marie Kambas

OVERALLS sales of petroleum products rose 3.8 per cent in September compared to the month before to 112,786 tonnes mainly on higher sales of low sulphur diesel used primarily for commercial activities, the statistical service said.

Sales of low sulphur diesel rose 16 per cent to 22,571 tonnes compared to August, Cystat said in a statement on its website. Sales of unleaded petrol 95 rose 3.4 per cent to 29,439 tonnes.

In September, the volume of aviation kerosene sold fell 14 per cent to 31,325 tonnes compared to August, one of the peak months in terms of tourist arrivals.

Sales of heavy fuel oil, primarily to the shipping industry, rose 10 per cent in September to 14,794 tonnes, while diesel for marine use fell 12 per cent to 4,246 tonnes compared to August, according to Cystat.

In January to September, overall sales of petroleum products were 14 per cent above those in the respective period last year, according to Cystat.

Overall direct imports of heavy fuel oil by the state-owned power producer Electricity Authority of Cyprus rose 25 per cent to 555,701 tonnes while those of diesel fell 51 per cent to 105,049 in the first eight months of the year compared to a year before, Cystat said.

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