People queue up at a petrol station in Hoàng Quốc Việt Street, Cầu Giấy District in Hà Nội at 11:50pm on Thursday.—Photo tuoitre.vn

HÀ NỘI — Many Hà Nội’s motorists have been seen queueing up at fuel stations at the midnight in a desperate attempt to fill up.

A recent fuel shortage in the capital has seen a number of gas stations close, with traders having problems securing petrol and complaining of heavy financial losses this year. 

Nguyễn Văn Tú, 27, of Cầu Giấy District told Tuổi trẻ (Youth) online newspaper that all fuel stations are crowded during the day.

He decided to go to a fuel station in Hoàng Quốc Việt Street to fill up his motorbike at the midnight hoping that he would not have to wait.

However, even at that time, a lot of people came to fill up their vehicles at the station, he said.

“I have waited for nearly 20 minutes and it’s still not my turn yet,” he said.

“Each time that I have to go to the fuel station to fill up my vehicle within a month is an obsession to me. It takes time and is very stressful."

He hopes the authorities will quickly find a solution to ease the problem.

Nguyễn Thanh Tùng, of Đống Đa District, queued up at a fuel petrol station in Tây Sơn Street on Wednesday at midnight.

He said: "I couldn't fill up my motorbike with petrol during the daytime because it was too crowded.”

But the situation at the midnight was not different from the daytime, he said.

“I have no choice but to wait for my turn,” he said.

In Hà Đông District, dozens people also waited for a long time for their turn to fill up their vehicles at a local fuel station on Wednesday night.

It took them about 40 minutes to fill up.

An app-based motorbike taxi driver said he drove hundreds of kilometres each day, so his motorbike ran out of petrol constantly.

“Although I have to wait very long, I still try to wait because every fuel station is full of people queuing up these days,” he said.

PM’s order

In response to the situation, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính on Thursday night ordered the Ministry of Industry and Trade to completely solve the partial gasoline shortage, ensuring transparency and efficiency.

The move came after the Government Portal reported on November 2 to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers on the situation related to the adjustment of petrol and oil prices and the allocation of petroleum import volume of the ministry.

According to the report, after three adjustments, the price of petrol and domestic oil products simultaneously went up on November 1; the petrol price of RON95-III exceeded VNĐ22,750 (US$0.91) per litre. However, by the evening of November 1, many fuel stations in Hà Nội still closed their door and reported they ran out of stock while other stations sold just a small amount of petrol.

The report said the ministry has sent a document to 33 petroleum wholesalers to assign petroleum import volume for each to ensure petrol supply for market demand during the end months of this year.

Việt Nam National Petroleum Group (Petrolimex) was assigned the highest petroleum import volume with 2,145,000 million cu.m.

Previously, the Government issued Resolution 143 at the regular Government meeting in October 2022.

Under the resolution, the ministry is required to synchronously implement solutions to ensure the supply of petrol and oil for the domestic market; administer petrol and oil prices in accordance with the law; strengthen inspection and supervision as well as strictly handle violations.

The ministry has to take responsibility for reviewing and soon proposing amendments and supplements to Decree No 95 and Decree No 83 on petrol and oil trading.

It is told to collect opinions of all relevant stakeholders, ensure that it is suitable to the actual situation, open, transparent, effective, and harmonious with the interests of the State, businesses and people, then submit it to the Government this month. — VNS