Diesel shortages were recently reported at gas stations in the capital as a large number of trucks and diesel-powered vehicles formed long lines to fill up their tanks both in the city and on the outskirts. Truck drivers say they have noticed a shortage of diesel over the past few days, especially at gas stations located on the Riyadh-Al-Qassim Highway and the Riyadh-Makkah Highway, with waiting times reaching a few hours and in some cases an entire day. Abdul Aziz Shalaba, who hauls fruits and vegetables between Riyadh and Hail, said the shortage cost him dearly after his diesel-powered truck run out of fuel and he was forced to wait an entire day at a gas station, according to a report in Al-Madinah newspaper. “I was on the Riyadh-Hail Highway and I pulled in at a gas station to fill up but I ended up waiting the entire day for the station to receive a diesel shipment. All of my fruits and vegetables rotted away in the heat,” said Shalaba who added that many other drivers carrying perishable goods had suffered a similar fate. A gas station worker said their diesel reservoirs often remained empty for days at a time because diesel tankers were not making enough deliveries. “The capacity of our diesel reservoir is 45,000 liters. This amount runs out quickly and trucks and vehicles line up outside the station and onto the road.” In a statement released on Friday, Saudi Aramco denied all reports of a diesel shortage in Riyadh. The company said it has an abundant supply of diesel and market supply is determined by ongoing studies and annual plans based on customers' and distributors' basic and urgent needs. In a related development, Saudi Customs officers seized 10 diesel trucks with Jordanian license plates leaving Riyadh. The drivers were trying to smuggle the diesel into Jordan.
