A tanker carrying fuel worth $16 million docked in São Tomé at about 10 a.m. on Wednesday, 21 October, and began unloading after nearly twenty days of shortages in the island nation. Its arrival was reported by Jornal Transparência after delayed deliveries had disrupted several parts of the economy.
Diesel accounts for more than half the cargo, according to the local outlet. The fuel is used in generators supplying the Water and Electricity Company. Shortages had caused power cuts as well as disruption to transport and fishing.
The government expected supplies to recover gradually between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning once the cargo was unloaded and distributed. The ship's arrival is a concrete step, but it does not mean every filling station was immediately supplied again.
The vessel had been expected for several days. On 14 October, Economy and Finance Minister Gareth Guadalupe postponed its arrival to 20 or 21 October, explaining that it needed to complete loading in Lomé and then Cotonou before sailing to São Tomé.
The minister estimated that this delivery could cover demand into 2027. The shortage has nevertheless highlighted the importance of diesel to the islands' electricity supply. To reduce that dependence, the authorities aim to add 10 to 11 megawatts of solar generating capacity to the grid before the end of 2026.