PETROL SHORTAGE. Several oil depots are blocked in Brittany and La Rochelle and the announcement of the resilience plan presented on Wednesday by the government did not restore calm. Can the fuel supply be disrupted in the next few days?
[Mis à jour le 16 mars 2022 à 19h34] Do not panic ! Gas stations should be normally supplied for the next few hours, but the announcement of several blockages of oil depots in progress rekindle fears of shortages even though motorists are already seeing their budget fuel soar. The start of the war in Ukraine had a rapid impact on prices at the pump with prices that easily crossed 2 euros per litre, both for diesel and for unleaded. The discontent is starting to be felt and it is in the face of this soaring price that demonstrations and blockades have started this week, mainly in the west of France.
This Wednesday, March 16, 2022, the oil depots of Lorient, Brest and Vern-sur-Seiche south of Rennes were blocked. The announcement of the resilience plan presented by Prime Minister Jean Castex at 4 p.m. does not seem to have convinced the demonstrators. “There is nothing at all in this plan apart from load deferrals, which we can already have in normal times. It is only the fishermen who have had 35 cents” judges a business manager present at the Lorient depot. , and questioned by AFP before confirming the continued blocking of this oil depot. Brittany is not the only one concerned since the fuel depot at the port of La Pallice in La Rochelle has also been blocked since Wednesday morning.
Since the beginning of the week, discontent has been rising, especially among fishermen but also truckers and transporters, farmers or contractors in the field of public works. All deplore the significant rise in fuel prices which is impacting their business and jeopardizing the profitability of their business. In 2018 and 2019, several oil depots had been blocked by professionals requesting the maintenance of non-road diesel (GNR) for professionals. The movement had led to stock shortages and fears of shortages at many service stations in France. On the evening of Wednesday March 16, the movement was however confined to the West of France, in particular in Brittany where the movement is followed by many fishermen with blockages reported in Brest, Lorient and Vern-sur-Seiche. The La Pallice fuel depot in La Rochelle was also announced to be blocked, according to AFP.
The Mon-Essence.fr application allows you to find fuel prices in service stations. In the event of a fuel shortage, it also offers a map of service stations that are partially dry (one or more fuels unavailable) or totally (gas station completely dry). During the great shortage of spring 2017 and then September 2017, this application had set up a map of dry service stations. For the time being, it is not available online but the app allows you to find fuel prices near you using a search engine available above.