Scarcity of Biodiesel Fuel Hampers Logistics Truck Operation

KOMPAS/VINA OKTAVIA

A line of trucks looking for subsidized diesel fuel stretches to the road near the Sumatran highway in Hajimena, Natar District, South Lampung Regency, Lampung, Thursday (24/3/2022)..

BANDAR LAMPUNG, KOMPAS — Drivers of freight trucks complained about the difficulty of getting subsidized biodiesel fuel in Lampung, Bengkulu, North Sumatra and North Sulawesi. They had to queue for hours at public gas stations to get biodiesel, hampering the operation of logistics trucks.

Based on observations of Kompas in Bandarlampung to South Lampung, Medan and Manado, Thursday (24/3/2022), queues of trucks were seen at a number of gas stations. In Bandarlampung city and South Lampung regency, queues of vehicles stretched to the highway, which was dominated by freight trucks. Other types of vehicles, such as buses, pickup trucks and minibuses, also lined up since morning. This has happened almost every day in the last two weeks.

Riyanto, 39, a freight truck driver, admitted he had been queuing since 9 a.m. to get biodiesel at the Tanjung Sari gas station, Natar district, South Lampung. "I've been looking for two days at several gas stations, but haven't been able to find one. It's better to wait here because there is still hope that biodiesel will be sent," said Riyanto.

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Due to the difficulty of finding biodiesel, Riyanto's task of delivering packaged drinks from Lampung to Bengkulu was hampered. He said this situation had not only occurred in Lampung, but also in Bengkulu for the past month.

Supri, 35, owner of a pickup truck for inter-regency freight forwarding, said he would not make a profit if he had to buy Dexlite, which sells for Rp 13,250 per liter, more expensive than biodiesel at Rp 5,150 per liter.

Decreasing income

Supri hoped the government would immediately find a solution to the shortage of biodiesel that occurs every year. If normally he can send goods 10-12 times a week, now he can only send them 5-6 times a week. “Time is running out for queuing for biodiesel at the gas station. We are tired and the work becomes ineffective,” he said.

Secretary of the Regional Representative Council for the Indonesian Logistics and Forwarders Association in Lampung, Senoharto, said the scarcity of biodiesel in Lampung had seriously disrupted the smooth distribution of goods between regions. He hoped the government would immediately find a solution so that the operation of freight trucks could be more optimal, especially ahead of Ramadan and Idul Fitri. “The government should have calculated the need for biodiesel and whether it has been distributed according to its needs. Currently, the reality in the field is that there is a scarcity," said Senoharto.

He said goods transport trucks relied heavily on biodiesel, which is affordable. If they have to switch to non-subsidized fuel, the cost of transportation of goods will also increase. This condition will certainly have an impact on increasing the prices of goods on the market.

KOMPAS/NIKSON SINAGA

A number of logistical transports line up to the road at the Cemara Asri gas station, Medan, North Sumatra, Thursday (24/3/3033). A number of gas stations in North Sumatra have run out of subsidized biodiesel in recent days, resulting in queues of vehicles at a number of gas stations that still have stock.

According to quota

With regard to this, Tjahyo Nikho Indrawan, area manager of communication, relations and CSR at Pertamina Southern Sumatra, said Pertamina distributed biodiesel to Lampung according to the subsidized fuel quota set by the government through the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas). Based on data, as of 10 March 2022, the realization of distribution of diesel and biodiesel for the Lampung region was 113,055 kiloliters. This amount was equivalent to 18.9 percent of the quota for diesel and biodiesel in 2022 which has been set by the government of 598,042 kiloliters for the region.

The scarcity of biodiesel also occured in North Sumatra. Logistics transportation trips were hindered because they had to queue for hours at gas stations that had biodiesel in stock. “I searched for biodiesel along the Sumatra Highway, almost none. Even if it is available, the queue can take up to three hours,” said Andri Simatupang, 40, a truck driver, at the Cemara Asri gas station, Medan, Thursday.

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According to Andri, the scarcity of biodiesel in North Sumatra has occurred for the last six days. According to him, a number of gas stations along the Sumatra Highway, from Medan to Labuhanbatu, had run out of biodiesel. Only a few gas stations had stock, so there was a long queue of vehicles. “In Labuhanbatu regency, the line (buyers) of biodiesel was up to 2 kilometers. The road was jammed there because the vehicles lining up ate up the road," said Andri.

Area manager of public relations and corporate social responsibility of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga North Sumatra Region Taufikurachman said the volume of biodiesel distributed was still in accordance with the 2022 quota. "In North Sumatra there are 349 channeling institutions with a distribution realization of 3,234 kiloliters per day or 107.6 percent of the quota set in 2022 of 3,006 kiloliters per day," said Taufikurachman.

Asking for additional supply

In North Sulawesi, logistics truck drivers also had difficulty getting biodiesel in Manado. Supplies were very limited and often ran out during the day. The North Sulawesi provincial government asked Pertamina to increase its quota in order to maintain the smooth flow of logistics. Head of the North Sulawesi Energy and Mineral Resources Office, Fransiskus Maindoka, said the North Sulawesi provincial government and the North Sulawesi Regional Police would oversee the distribution of subsidized diesel.

"We will also propose an additional diesel quota. The proposal is now being arranged after a dialogue with the regency and city governments, then the governor [Olly Dondo Kambey] will sign it," he said.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.