HSIA to be fuelling hub of foreign airlines

DHAKA: The official news Agency of Bangladesh (BSS) has issued following news release:

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport awaits a final government approval to become a refueling hub of the South Asia region for foreign airlines using the Bangladesh skylines, officials said.

The planning commission officials said the selling of jet fuels would nearly be doubled with the country's main aviation facility is expected to offer the refueling services to more foreign airlines usingthe airport or the country's skyline.

They said Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility of implementing the project at a cost of Taka 40 crore provided it gets the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC).

"Hydrant fueling system of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport would be automotive under the system that is expected to boost the selling of jet fuel by 400 kilolitres per day," a planning commission official familiar with the process told BSS.

He said additional aircraft and cargo-aircraft would be facilitated for refueling under the project which would also make the refuelingsystem of the airport more efficient and economically profitable.

Civil aviation officials said the project mainly aimed to extend the existing hydrant system at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to new area and cargo village while the main activities of the project are to supply and install pipeline and hydrants pits, cathodic protection work and procure dispensers of Jet A-1.

They said the existing Jet A-1 hydrant fueling system was installed in 1999 with a fuel supply capacity of 460 kilolitres per day whilethe project would enhance its capacity to 860 kilolitres per day.

At present, importance of the airport is being increased cumulatively due to the expansion of the capital city resulting new airlines operate flights from the airport.

The demand of jet fuel is increasing quickly for the additional flights as the fiscal year 2008-09 experienced the sell of 798 kilolitres jet fuel that was 74 percent higher than previous fiscal. So, the extension of the existing hydrant fueling system has been appeared asinevitable at the present context.

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