The dip in New Zealand’s fuel stock levels is normal, the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) says.

As of April 19, there was 51.2 days of petrol, 41.6 days of diesel and 47.4 days of jet fuel either in the country or on the way to New Zealand.

These latest figures are lower than the previous update, for April 15, but MBIE insists these variations are normal and would be expected when international shipping was not impacted by conflict in the Middle East.

“While the total stock for diesel is down, the stock in country and within our EEZ [Exclusive Economic Zone] is almost as high as it has ever been since the Middle East conflict started,” MBIE said.

“There is also a ship currently loading diesel in Singapore and this will be on the way to New Zealand shortly.”

Further declines in fuel stock levels were expected over the coming weeks, MBIE said, but fuel tankers were on the way to New Zealand to replenish them.

“This is normal and is how fuel companies manage their daily business, with fuel distributed around the country and then replenished by incoming imports,” MBIE said.

“Fuel tanks are not kept at 100% capacity all the time.”

The country’s fuel prices have been impacted by conflict in the Middle East which started after the US and Israel attacked Iran.

Iran retaliated with its own strikes and essentially closed the Strait of Hormuz, a global and strategic shipping route.

This has added pressure to the fuel market globally including reports of New Zealanders struggling with their own fuel costs.

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.