- Title: Libya's NOC aims to lift Zueitina force majeure - Facilities Guard
- Date: 15th September 2016
- Summary: ZUEITINA PORT, LIBYA (SEPTEMBER 14, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO ZUEITINA OIL PORT VARIOUS OF SEVERAL TRIBAL HEADS AND OTHERS GATHERED UNDER TENT AT PORT ENTRANCE IN SUPPORT OF THE LIBYAN NATIONAL ARMY VARIOUS OF OIL PIPELINE AND PROCESSING INFRASTRUCTURE VARIOUS OF PORT ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING HEAD OF ZUEITINA'S LABOUR UNION, MAREE ATTIYA, TALKING TO MAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) HEAD OF ZUEITINA'S LABOUR UNION, MAREE ATTIYA, SAYING: "Because of the militias who were stationed here, Libya in general but the port in particular had been experiencing very difficult conditions. But thank God the blinds have been removed and I have hope for the future of Libya. Today we had shipments from around 103 stations and our situation is good, and we have around one million two-hundred barrels in stock that are ready for export." VEHICLES AT ENTRANCE TO ZUEITINA OIL PORT MILITARY GUARD OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN FACILITIES, GENERAL MUFTAH AL-MAQREEF, WALKING WITH COLLEAGUES (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MILITARY GUARD OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN FACILITIES, GENERAL MUFTAH AL-MAQREEF, SAYING: "We took control of the port on the first day of Eid (al-Adha) and then delivered a statement to the media. I was ordered to arrange for a colonel to become one of the oil guards and to send a small number of soldiers and NCOs to assist him. They are all currently here and we haven't faced any problems with delivery or collection from Zueitina port." ONLOOKERS CHEER AS AIRCRAFT FLIES OVERHEAD
- Embargoed: 30th September 2016 05:54
- Keywords: Oil Benghazi NOC
- Location: ZUEITINA PORT, LIBYA
- City: ZUEITINA PORT, LIBYA
- Country: Libya
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
- Reuters ID: LVA0014ZOCZ0N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) visited the port of Zueitina on Wednesday (September 14) and said he would work to lift a force majeure there, according to the head of a guard force now in control of the terminal.
The visit by NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla came days after forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar seized Zueitina and three other oil ports from a rival force allied to the U.N.-backed government in Tripoli.
Sanalla said on Tuesday (September 13) that the NOC would begin work immediately to restart exports from the ports, but the plan could face political and legal resistance.
"Because of the militias who were stationed here, Libya in general but the port in particular had been experiencing very difficult conditions. But thank God the blinds have been removed and I have hope for the future of Libya. Today we had shipments from around 103 stations and our situation is good, and we have around one million two-hundred barrels in stock that are ready for export," said the head of the port's labour union, Maree Attiya, blinds being removed, a metaphor for an improved situation.
But some members of the U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) have criticised Haftar's seizure of the ports, and Western powers have condemned the move, saying they were ready to prevent any exports attempted outside the GNA's authority.
Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) started taking over the ports in a dawn operation on Sunday (September 11). They displaced a guard force led by Ibrahim Jathran, who had recently signed a controversial deal with the GNA to lift his blockade of Ras Lanuf, Es Sider and Zueitina.
Muftah Al-Magariaf, the head of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) allied with Haftar's forces, said Sanalla had told employees at Zueitina to 'prepare for production' and that he would 'go to Tripoli to complete steps for the lifting of force majeure at the port.'
Political turmoil, armed conflict and militant attacks have reduced Libya's oil production to a fraction of the 1.6 million barrels per day it produced before the North African country's 2011 uprising.
Some infrastructure, including at Ras Lanuf and Es Sider terminals, has been badly damaged.
The combined capacity of the four ports seized by the LNA is about 770,000 barrels per day. Es Sider, Ras Lanuf and Zueitina have all been under force majeure, while Brega has remained open but with a reduced output. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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