New aviation fuel tank for KIA

Work on the installation of new storage tanks for Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) supply at the Kotoka International Airport is nearing completion. The new facility is expected to forestall any future unexpected aviation fuel shortage.

The new ATK tanks have a capacity of 15.4million litres -- enough to last for one month. It is an improvement on the current storage capacity of 1.4million litres, which can last for just two days. Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) used in the aviation industry is highly filtered to remove all impurities, and is of a higher quality than other fuels.

The Ghana Civil Aviation Authority anticipates a 10 percent growth in the aviation sub-sector this year. The growth, it said, will be driven by an increase in the number of dedicated cargo carriers and the number of passenger carriers flying into the country.

Last month, there was a reported shortage of aviation fuel for a number of days at the Kotoka International Airport.

The Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) in recent times has engaged in renovation and expansion works at the KIA. Last year, it took over the administration of the newly-built Perishable Cargo Centre (PCC) at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) under the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Ghana programme.

The project, which costs US$2.5million, covers 1,200 square metres in area and provides handling and temporary storage for fruits and vegetables for export. It has a workroom of 600 square meters and a 200-square metre cold room.

The Centre now allows for the transportation of perishable food produce by air to anywhere outside the country in a very fresh state.

This has attracted both local and foreign investments in the export business, specifically for agricultural and horticultural products. Cargo airline operators are also positioning themselves to take advantage of the booming cargo business.

The GACL is also undertaking the KIA rehabilitation Phase II project. The on-going project involves de-rubberising the runway to remove particles of rubber left on it as a result of braking-friction from aircraft tyres; works on the apron; and installation of runway lights among others.

The regional airports will also undergo a facelift to support the growing domestic traffic, while the programme for upgrading Tamale Airport as an alternative international airport to KIA is expected to commence soon.

Other projects that are being planned and will take off this year under a Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) arrangement include an airport business centre; new office-block for freight forwarders; new airline office complex; warehousing facilities; Maintenance, Repair and Operate (MRO) services; and multi-storey car parks.