Nuku’alofa – A timely shipment of fuel from a U.S. company is providing critical relief to Tonga as the nation grapples with a severe shortage that threatened to disrupt voter turnout for this week’s general elections.
The U.S. Embassy in Tonga confirmed the arrival of the fuel, expressing gratitude to Matson Shipping for dispatching the vessel Olomana with 50,000 litres of gasoline. The shipment comes after days of long queues and empty pumps at petrol stations across the kingdom.
According to the vessel-tracking website VesselFinder, the Olomana was scheduled to arrive in Tonga on Wednesday, Nov. 19, the day before the general election on Thursday, 20.
According to Tonga’s Consumer Affairs department, the nation’s sole fuel providers—Pacific Energy and Total Energies—have been allocating their diminishing reserves to maintain a supply of petrol for the public.
The measure is intended to last until the arrival of two oil tankers expected on November 25-26.
“The U.S. government is grateful to Matson Shipping for sending their ship the Olomana with 50,000 liters of gasoline to Tonga at a critical moment of need,” an embassy statement read.
It praised the move as “an excellent example of private enterprise stepping in to resolve a crisis for our close partner, friends, and family in Tonga.”
The shortage began last week after supplier Pacific Energy reported a temporary stock outage. The company attributed the crisis to supply chain delays, specifically the postponed arrival of a tanker from Fiji due to undisclosed issues, which left many of its outlets without fuel.
With residents rushing to fill their tanks, the escalating situation raised alarms about the potential impact on the country’s general elections, as voters and officials rely on transportation to reach polling stations.
Matson Shipping, a U.S. company headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii, has an established history in the region.
It entered the South Pacific trade in 2013 after acquiring the assets of New Zealand-based Reef Shipping.
The company operates its South Pacific services through a wholly-owned subsidiary, Matson South Pacific Ltd.
The delivery from Matson is expected to help stabilise the fuel supply in the short term, alleviating concerns over mobility and election participation.
