Eastern Refinery to Resume Operations as Massive Crude Oil Shipment Arrives from Saudi Arabia

Commodore Mahmudul Malek, Managing Director of the Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC), confirmed the arrival on Wednesday afternoon, May 6, 2026. Following the completion of necessary customs and surveyor formalities, the lightering process to discharge the oil was scheduled to begin on Wednesday evening. Officials from Eastern Refinery Limited (ERL) stated that once the unloading is complete, the refinery's currently suspended plant is expected to resume operations on Thursday, May 7, ensuring a steady production of refined petroleum products.

To further secure the national energy reserve, another vessel named ‘MT Fossil’ is currently en route to the United Arab Emirates to fetch an additional 100,000 tons of crude oil from Fujairah. This second shipment is expected to depart for Bangladesh on May 11. It is noteworthy that Bangladesh imports all its required crude oil through Government-to-Government (G-2-G) agreements with Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Currently, the BSC, as the state-owned flag carrier, is managing the transportation of these energy resources using vessels chartered from the American firm Nordic Energy, maintaining a critical lifeline for the country's industrial and domestic energy needs.