Bahrain bans air passenger arrivals from 16 countries

Bahrain's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is suspending air passenger arrivals from 16 countries, as it looks to limit the country's exposure to the more contagious Covid-19 strains that are spreading internationally. The move will deal a blow to already-fragile jet fuel demand in Bahrain.

Entry is now suspended for travellers arriving directly or indirectly from Mozambique, Myanmar, Zimbabwe, Mongolia, Namibia, Mexico, Tunisia, Iran, South Africa, Indonesia, Iraq, Philippines, Malaysia, Panama, Uganda and Dominican Republic, the CAA said. This is in addition to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Vietnam and Nepal, from where passengers are already banned.

Bahraini citizens and residency visa holders arriving from these countries are exempt from the ban. The authorities did not say how long the ban would remain in place.

The announcement came just as the government also announced a temporary tightening of Covid-19-mitigation measures during the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday on 19-22 July. For that time Bahrain will transition to an 'orange alert level', in which 70pc of employees in the government sector will work from home, and only up to six people will be allowed to gather at homes. Only those vaccinated or recovered from Covid-19 will be allowed into restaurants, cafes and other entertainment centres. This is unlikely to have a significant effect on transport fuel demand.

The country entered a 'yellow alert level' on 2 July, but will transition to 'green', with an easing of restrictions on movement for three days ahead of the Eid al-Adha holiday.

The authorities will determine which alert level to enter on 23 July depending on Covid-19 test rates at the time. Bahrain in May had its steepest surge in cases since the onset of the pandemic, but the situation has since significantly improved. The average number of new daily cases is 121 so far in July, from 831 in June and 2,051 in May.

Latest data from the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (Jodi) show that Bahrain's jet fuel demand jumped to 13,000 b/d in April, from zero in March, gasoil demand recovered to 10,000 b/d from just 1,000 b/d, and gasoline demand rose to 14,000 b/d from 3,000 b/d. The recovery came after a previous round of movement restrictions, introduced in February, were relaxed in mid-March.

By Ieva Paldaviciute