IOC opens petrol stations in Mauritius

Indian Oil Corp, the country's largest oil firm, has opened its first petrol station in Mauritius, making it the second country after Sri Lanka where IOC has begun fuel retailing outside India.

"Our first retail outlet started operation at Tere Rouge in Port Louis, Mauritius earlier this week," a senior company official said.

In all, IOC plans to open 25 petrol stations in Mauritius, which consumes about one million tonnes of petroleum products annually.

IOC will be the fifth player in fuel retailing in the Island nation. Shell, Total, Caltex and Esso are leaders in fuel retailing in Mauritius.

"We plan to set up 10 retail outlets by 2005 end and the other 15 outlets would be set up in the second phase," he said. The petrol station, from where IOC expects to sell 150 kilolitres of petrol and diesel in three months time, also has a business centre.

The business centre houses fax, photocopier, Internet and conference facilities. The company plans to invest a total of $18 million in setting up a petroleum storage terminal and a network of 25 retail outlets in Mauritius.

IOC has already commissioned the 15,500 tonne capacity state-of-the-art microprocessor-controlled storage terminal at Mer Rouge Port. Competing against the global giants, the company has grabbed 20 per cent of the aviation fuel market share.

"We also propose to set up a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Mer Rouge Terminal, which would obviate the need for sending fuel samples outside the country for testing, as is the system currently," the official added.