A 40,000-litre tanker load will cost 12,000, plus 28,000 in tax, which often must be paid to the government on delivery.

A former soldier who crashed a tanker loaded with 2,000 litres of fuel into his estranged wife's home then started a fire has been jailed for seven years.

This led to large numbers of tankers loaded with oil sitting idle in ports acting as floating warehouses.

Both torpedoes hit; and the tanker loaded with gasoline exploded into a column of flame high, with parts of the ship being blown 500 yd from the flaming hulk.

Sell fresh water in tanker loads.