Namcor and Puma Energy deny supplying substandard fuel after Botswana quality concerns

The National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor) and oil supplier Puma are denying allegations of supplying Botswana and the Namibian market with substandard fuel.

“We assure the public, our customers, and our partners that Namcor’s fuel products meet prescribed specifications and that the corporation will continue to uphold best industry practices across all its operations,” Namcor says in a media statement released on Friday.

The statement comes after fuel from its storage facility was alleged to be substandard, as reported by The Namibian on Friday.

According to email correspondence seen by The Namibian, seven trucks transported fuel from Namcor’s national oil storage facility to Botswana in early January, where routine quality checks raised concerns.

The fuel in question was offloaded to Namcor’s national oil storage facility at Walvis Bay from the oil tanker, the Zahra.

“At the time of the vessel Zahra’s arrival, Namcor already had product in its storage tanks that fully met the required specifications.

Before the fuel discharge from the Zahra, Namcor received independent quality certification for the product on board,” Namcor says.

The state-owned enterprise on Friday released results of tests conducted on its fuel products at a South African laboratory, which it says showed that its fuel was compliant with regulations.

Some 27 million litres of the oil were distributed across the country without incident, Namcor says.
Only 300 000l were transported to Botswana.

The company also clarifies that it does not directly supply oil to Botswana Oil Limited. It supplies fuel to multiple clients, one of which has supplied Botswana Oil.

“The same client continued to uplift the product from Namcor, which is inconsistent with the assertion that the fuel supplied was substandard,” the statement reads.

If fuel is found to be substandard after transport, the issue is not Namcor’s responsibility, the statement says.

“The corporation’s responsibility and accountability extend to the storage and transfer of fuel while it remains under Namcor’s custody and control.

Namcor cannot assume responsibility for the handling, storage or use of the product once it leaves its storage facilities,” it says.

Puma Energy, which allegedly imported the oil on the Zahra oil tanker, has also reassured customers of the high quality of its fuel.

“Puma Energy has robust fuel quality control processes in place, including routine testing at key points in the supply chain, to ensure the fuel we supply is safe, reliable, and compliant with regulatory specifications.

“Fuel quality is a core responsibility, and any concerns raised are taken seriously and reviewed carefully,” Puma Energy Namibia general manager Adell Samuelson says.

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