Tanzania has assured Zambia of oil supply when Zambia's sole refinery is closed for maintenance in August, Times of Zambia reported Friday.

The Tanzanian government has pledged to address the bureaucratic tendencies involved in the transportations of oil from Tanzania's Dar es Salaam Port to Zambia to ensure a steady flow of fuel during the closure of Indeni oil refinery in August this year, according to the newspaper.

Visiting Tanzanian Vice President Ali Mohamed Shein said in Ndola, the capital of Copperbelt province, that his country will address the impediments faced by the oil marketing companies when clearing heir consignments destined for Zambia.

Shein made the promise on Thursday when he visited Zambezi Oil Transport, a Tanzanian oil marketing company.

Indeni, the country's only refinery and producer of fuel is scheduled to close for maintenance thus the Zambian government directed oil marketing companies to import and reserve adequate fuel to avert a shortage.

Indeni, co-owned by French oil major Total and the Zambian government, has been plagued by breakdowns because of obsolete equipment and was shut for almost four weeks in September last year before reopening in mid-October. A severe fuel shortage hit the country during the period.

It produces more than 350,000 liters of oil and more than 1 million liters of diesel per day.

Zambia consumes 600,000 liters of oil and 900,000 liters of diesel per day and all its crude oil is imported via Dar es Salaam port.

Source: Xinhua