Sales of petroleum products and liquid biofuels, March 2003, preliminary figures

The deliveries of light heating oils, heating and lighting kerosene and heavy fuel oil increased strongly compared with March last year. Deliveries of light heating oils came to 96 million litres in March this year, a 70 per cent increase from March 2002. The heating and lighting kerosene increased by about 60 per cent. The sale of heavy fuel oil increased by about 20 per cent, but the deliveries of heavy fuel oil to ship in ocean transport declined, in such a way that inland deliveries of heavy fuel oil increased by about 50 per cent.

First 3 months

For the first 3 months, deliveries increased by 9.9 per cent compared with the same period last year. We see the same tendencies as for the month of March, with a considerable increase in deliveries of heating products, and a decrease in sale of motor gasoline and marine gas oil.

Past 12 months

For the past 12 months the deliveries of petroleum products totalled 9 386 million litres, a 1.8 per cent increase compared with the previous 12-month period.

There were 21 delivery days in March 2003 against 19 in March 2002.

Tables:

• Table 1 Deliveries of petroleum products. Million litres. Preliminary figures
• Table 2 Deliveries of petroleum products, by group of purchasers. Million litres. Preliminary figures
• Table 3 Deliveries of petroleum products, by county. Million litres. Preliminary figures