Damascus authorities on Saturday said fuel shipments to Syria have been delayed due to the Suez Canal jam and that to avoid shortages, they were “rationing” fuel. 

Ever Given, a container ship got diagonally wedged in the Suez Canal waterway on Tuesday disrupting a majority of global supply chains.  

Bassam Tomeh, the Oil Minister told the state TV that if the blockage is not cleared soon, the fuel ship may have to re-route and go about the African southern tip. This is a much more expensive route to take but is being considered by many others as well. 

The ship was due to reach the Banias port by Friday. 

Also Read: Strong wind not main reason for Suez ship grounding: Canal chief

Syria’s oil ministry said on Saturday that the jam “has impacted oil imports to Syria and slowed the arrival of a ship carrying fuel and oil products” from its ally Iran. 

Pending a resolution, “the ministry is rationing the distribution of available oil products” to assure the continuity of essential services, such as bakeries and hospitals, the ministry statement said, reported AFP. 

Also Read: Amnesty International accuses Lebanon of torturing Syrian refugees

Ravaged by a civil war since 2011, Syria is suffering from a major economic crisis. It announced a 50% hike in the price of petrol amid fuel shortages in mid-March this year. 

The crisis has been blamed on the western sanctions imposed on it and a mirroring financial crisis in Lebanon by the Syrian government. 

Before Syria’s war, the country enjoyed relative energy autonomy, but in the past decade, an estimated $91.5 billion in revenue has been lost from hydrocarbons. 

Syria’s oil minister said in February that an estimated $91.5 billion in revenue has been lost from hydrocarbons. Before the war, the production was 400,000 barrels a day as compared to the diminished 89 BPD in 2020.

More than 90% of the country’s reserves are located in Kurdish areas, not under Syrian government control. Around 80,000 came from here.