Major Marketing Companies Getting Ready for ULSD

The island’s major marketing companies are making big plans for the official launch of Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD), which is scheduled for June 24.

JIS News has been informed that officials at PETROJAM have been working feverishly behind the scenes, to ensure that all is in place for that date, when Government has indicated that ULSD will become available to consumers.

Manager of Safety, Environment and Quality at PETROJAM, Leon Jarrett, told JIS News that he is aware that marketing companies are busy making last minute preparations to have the fuel available to patrons on the day or at the very least, within the week of the rollout.

“The relevant marketing companies and gas stations are having outside broadcasts and doing their own launch,” he noted. These include Petcom, Shell/Rubis and other marketing companies.

“Certainly for us here at PETROJAM, we will have the product available to dispense on Monday, June 24,” the Manager noted.

He said that PETROJAM is on target to meet the deadline for the rollout as only minor fine-tuning of the infrastructure is being done at this point.

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, is scheduled to participate in the rollout at several gas stations, as the Minister was instrumental in having ULSD introduced to the market.

The Minister is scheduled to open the Petcom Dunrobin gas station in Kingston at 9:00 a.m. on June 24, then move on to other gas stations throughout Kingston.

Johnson’s Petroleum on Beechwood Avenue in Kingston, one of the few independent marketing companies in Jamaica, is also making preparations for the launch.

Operations Manager, Michael Simpson, told JIS News that preparations for the launch are in progress.

“We are not where we would like to be, but we will get there in very short order,” he said.

He is anticipating a high demand for the ULSD as motorists recognize the benefit of better performance of their vehicles and increased mileage per tank. As a result, he is ensuring that the product is available to meet the expected demand of consumers.

“I’m pretty sure that once this fuel is launched, some will upgrade their vehicles, so we’re anticipating a lot of traffic for the low sulphur diesel. By all counts, everything is on stream and in another two weeks, we will be up and ready,” he told JIS News.

Contact: O. Rodger Hutchinson