The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Bahamian auto dealers said yesterday they were “ecstatic” that ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) was finally being offered in this market, one stating that this nation had been running “first world vehicles on third world fuel” for far too long.

ESSO (Bahamas) is the first to offer ultra low sulphur diesel (ULSD) in this market, something Bahamian auto dealers have been lobbying for for some time.

Fred Albury, principal at the Auto Mall, Executive Motors and Omega Motors, told Tribune Business: “We’re ecstatic that this is coming into the market. It’s something that was overdue and it opens the door for more fuel efficient diesel vehicles being imported in the future, and should help with environment as well.

“It’s a step in the right direction and we’re very happy that it’s taking place.”

Ben Albury, general manager at Bahamas Bus and Truck, expressed similar sentiments, saying that low quality diesel had ultimately led to a void in the market where persons were requesting vehicles dealers were unable to supply.

Ben Albury said the Government should also mandate that petroleum retailers show the octane content of the fuel they are selling at the pumps. “In the US, gas retailers are mandated by the Government what octane level the fuel is that they are selling, so that the customers can purchase the appropriate octane level that their vehicle requires,” he added.

“When you go to the pumps here you have no idea what you’re buying. We have some vehicles that prefer 93 octane or 91 octane, and if people aren’t using that fuel then they can have a lot of fuel-related issues, especially with the newer ones because it’s not getting the fuel that is necessary.

“I think in the future that would be another step moving forward. You do have every so often the circumstance come up where all the dealers see a high influx of vehicles coming into the service department with fuel-related issues, which only means we have an inferior batch of fuel that’s come in,” Mr Albury explained.

“It’s created a void in the market where you have people that are requesting certain vehicles. A lot of people do like diesel vehicles, and I may not be able to supply the vehicle that they are requesting.

“Some go to the US and buy it anyway, and six months later they’re having a lot of fuel-related issues. Over a matter of time, if they continue to run that quality of fuel, it can result in the vehicle breaking down and possibly not running any more. We’ve kind of been settling for very substandard fuel for a very long time. The automobile market is dictating that it needs something better. It has taken a very long time for the fuel companies to catch up to that.”

Ben Albury commended Esso for bringing ULSD to the Bahamian market. “I commend Esso for making that first step, and I think that now as a result of that you will see the other fuel companies fall in line and start to offer it,” he said.

“If they don’t they will continue to see a decline in diesel sales as the market starts to weed out the older diesel engines that are not available any more.”

Ultra low sulphur diesel fuel produces cleaner burning fuel emissions. It contains a maximum of 50 parts-per-million (ppm) of sulphur, a significant improvement on the previous diesel grade, which permitted up to 5000 ppm of sulphur.