International fuel supplier Afroneft says Namibian oil companies are meddling in the operations of the National Petroleum Corporation of Namibia (Namcor), all in attempts to keep competition at bay. At the top of Afroneft’s dissatisfaction is the constant rejection of vessels by the five oil companies operating in the country. The industry has just refused to vet another vessel, a 2006 built ship, a move that comes head over heels to last month’s turning away of the Farandol, which was also laden with oil.

“Reason given was that, in their opinion, the crew is not sufficiently experienced. Come on, that is like saying 'I like the car but I hate the colour'. That is no reason not to vet the vessel,” said Chairman of Afroneft Ivor Ichikowitz.
Afroneft is contracted to supply Namcor with fuel.
By law, 50% of fuel for Namibia must be supplied by Namcor, with the rest expected to be brought in by the five oil companies themselves.
Afroneft's first consignment of fuel aboard Farandol was rejected by the oil industry on the basis that the vessel did not meet international safety standard. The vessel, which had already docked at Walvis Bay, was made to float in international waters for days and eventually returned to Europe at great cost to Namcor.
Namcor says it sees the constant rejections of vessels as an attempt to throw in the tools. But the oil industry says its rejections are based entirely on safety standards.
Contacted for comments, the Chairman of the Namibian Oil Industry and Managing Director of BP Namibia, Sipho Zulu declined saying the industry does not wish to address the issues via the media.