The boss of Mozambican oil importer Imopetro has said 10 companies, two of them Chinese, have bid to supply Mozambique with fuel in the first half of next year, Agência de Informação de Moçambique (AIM) reports.

The Mozambican state-run news agency quotes Imopetro Managing Director João Macandja as saying the Chinese bidders are Sinopec subsidiary Addax Petroleum Corp. and Petrochina Co. Ltd.

Mr Macandja said after the opening session of the proposals that the Mozambican government should announce the winning bidder soon.

The Mozambican authorities hope that putting fuel supply contracts out to tender will reduce their annual bill for imported fuel, estimated to be about US$800 million, AIM says.