Buckeye Says Gulftainer Using Pandemic to Extort Port Fee Hike

Buckeye Partners LP sued a Gulftainer Co. Ltd. affiliate in Delaware Monday, claiming the port operator is trying to extort $1 million in extra lease fees by barring access to fuel tanks bound for hundreds of Wawa gas stations operating as “essential infrastructure” during the coronavirus pandemic.

“More disturbing—and likely the reason GT has pointed a proverbial gun at Buckeye’s head at this time—is the harm to the public interest if essential fuel supply chains for approximately 200 gas stations are disrupted during the throes of a global pandemic,” the lawsuit says.

It targets GT USA Wilmington LLC, the Gulftainer ...