French oil and gas giant, Total, has won the tender for importing liquid fuels into Mozambique. The tender is to take effect from November 2020.

The current supplier is Saudi Arabia-based Sahara Petroleum. With the company’s current contract expiring in October, Sahara failed in its bid to renew its contract.

The tender was launched by the Mozambican Importing Company (Impopetro) on the 5^th of August. It is for the import of about a million metric tonnes of refined petroleum products which will be distributed to Mozambique’s major ports in Maputo, Beira and Nacala.

Total is expected to supply 1,015,000 tonnes of fuel, which will consist of 680,000 tonnes of diesel, 275,000 tonnes of petrol and 60,000 tonnes of jet fuel. After it has been imported, the fuel is to be distributed by the fuel distribution companies affiliated to Impopetro.

Speaking to Radio Mozambique, the General Director of Impopetro, Joao Macanja said the tender was given to Total because it has the most favourable price among other competitors. He said, “based on the prices proposed by Total, the country will import petrol more cheaply, and diesel more cheaply.”

He said the sheer size of Total guarantees quality of the product and timely delivery of the products. “Petrol is to be 11 dollars a tonne cheaper, diesel is to be five dollars a tonne cheaper and Jet fuel would be more expensive. The Director believes it can be said that the country is winning with this supplier.”

Total seems to be taking over the energy scene in Mozambique. The company is also the operator of the “to be” largest LNG project and the biggest investment in Africa, the Mozambique LNG project. With approximately 75 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas discovered in Offshore Area 1, the Mozambique LNG Project is a world-class project that will meet increasing world demand for a sustainable, reliable and cleaner source of energy.