Rota and Tinian’s fuel prices are now more than $4 a gallon.
Gas prices in the CNMI are at least a dollar higher than in the U.S where the average fuel cost was $2.78 a gallon as of March 15.
This week’s oil price hike in the CNMI brings to 30 cents the additional cost that Saipan consumers pay the two oil firms over the last five months or since Oct. 2009 when a gallon of unleaded regular fuel was sold at $3.47.
On Monday, Shell began selling unleaded regular fuel at $3.77 a gallon and premium gas at $3.909 per gallon.
Mobil stations followed Shell’s prices yesterday noon.
Mobil gas attendants said they were ordered to increase their fuel prices after Shell increased its prices.
Crude oil price in the international market stood at $82 a barrel early this week amid continuing social and political unrest in some parts of the Middle East and Africa.
Motorists who face constant oil price hikes are calling on the local government to explore the possibility of introducing the CNMI to cheaper alternative fuel as the islands continue to reel from the impact of a lingering economic crisis.
