THE Department of Energy (DOE) plans to establish a marine gasoline station so pumpboats and other small seafaring vessels can have easy access to fuel.
However, Rey Maleza of DOE said that it must comply with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) rules and regulations, especially on fuel spillover.
“That is our new innovation. Most owners of pumpboats have a problem on how to transport fuels they’ve bought from gasoline stations. To solve it, we will allow a marine type of gasoline station near the sea,” Maleza said.
But these establishments will operate differently than regular gasoline stations. For one, pumpboat owners will no longer be allowed to use fuel containers for their vessels.
“We are now waiting for the separate standard and facilities for these marine-type gasoline station. The pumpboats can just shipside the gasoline station to refuel,” Maleza said.
He said they are waiting for the standard to be provided by the Bureau of Philippine Standard (BPS) under the Department of Trade and Industry.
He added that there is a Technical Working Group, which is composed of DOE, BPS and other agencies. (JOB)