The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation is currently facing a severe crisis due to the lack of dollars for fuel imports.

The situation has been exacerbated by the Central Bank's failure to issue dollars to the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the Central Bank ordering the two state banks not to lend to the CPC.

A 40,000 metric tonne diesel tanker is reportedly stranded at the port due to a shortage of dollars.

According to sources in the Ministry of Energy, diesel is available in the country for a limited number of days only.

Sources say that a ship of 37,500 metric tons of petrol has arrived at the port and the fuel will be sufficient for a few more weeks as its refueling has begun.

However, it is reported that the lack of dollars to order fuel from now on or to unload fuel from the diesel ship that has arrived at the port has become a serious problem.

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) has outstanding payments amounting to nearly Rs. 300 million from several state-owned enterprises, including the Ceylon Electricity Board and SriLankan Airlines.

Under these circumstances, there is a risk of a fuel shortage in the future, the ministry said.