Aviation fuel pipeline to airport?

Accra, Feb. 6, GNA - The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) on Monday said it was in consultation with the Bulk Oil Storage and Transport Company (BOST) on the possibility of constructing an aviation fuel pipeline from the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) to the Kotoka International Airport fuel depot.

This is to facilitate regular and easy supply of aviation fuel to airlines operating at KIA instead of relying on vehicle tankers, which are slow and on many occasions break down.

Mr Simon Allotey, Deputy Director-General (Technical) throwing light on the current aviation fuel situation told journalists that GCAA would also construct or build additional storage takers at the airport to serve as strategic reserves.

He said currently the airlines operating at KIA were not receiving the full supply of aviation fuel from the oil marketing companies due to technical problems at TOR.

"TOR has had intermittent shutdown due to power failures. We don't have the power to import fuel, instead the airlines have direct service agreements with various oil marketing companies for the supply of aviation fuel."

Mr Allotey said this has not, however, affected flight operations at KIA, stressing that airlines, which receive limited quantities of fuel make technical stopovers at neighbouring airports to top up and continue their journeys.

He said TOR had informed GCAA that it was about to take delivery of a shipment of aviation fuel from Cote d'Ivoire latest by Thursday and that "there is no cause for alarm."

According to Mr Allotey, GACC had informed all airlines to make adequate preparations when flying to Accra. It has also informed the neighbouring airports to make fuel available to planes, which may stop over to or from Accra.

He said he demand for aviation fuel had increased due to the increase in flight movements and passengers at KIA.