Work is moving at a steady pace on the fuel farm complex being built by BAC Jet Fuel Company (BJFCO) in the vicinity of Bahrain International Airport (BIA) and will be ready by March 2019, said a report.

A joint venture between Bahrain Airport Company and National Oil and Gas Authority, BJFCO is in charge of developing the project, which will be housing three aviation fuel tanks with a capacity of 10,000 cu m each over a 77,000-sq-m area, in addition to its dedicated operational buildings, reported BNA.

BJFCO was established in 2016 with the goal of restructuring the aviation fuel sector in the kingdom, and constructing and managing a fuel farm complex within the vicinity of BIA, as per directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, and in line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030.

Oil Minister Shaikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Gulf Air Holding Group (GFG) Chairman Kamal bin Ahmed Mohammed toured the construction site of the fuel farm complex along with BJFCO board members and senior BAC officials.

The ministers were given a visual presentation by Nabil Helou, the managing director of Amana Pipeline Construction, the main contractor of the project. He explained the various stages of the project, which BAC commenced in mid-2017, in addition to current and future stages, said the BNA report.

Following the briefing, Shaikh Mohammed said: "We are very pleased with the progress so far and with all the efforts by BJFCO and the main contractor. Building a fuel farm complex within BIA’s vicinity follows the directives of HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, to relocate the fuel tanks from Arad area in Muharraq’s governorate."

"This project is of the highest importance because of its role in developing the oil and gas sector in the kingdom in general, and in raising the efficiency of the airport. All parties involved have been working hard to achieve the vision shared between the Ministry of Oil and the Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications, and we look forward to more achievements in the coming period," he stated.

The ministers stressed the importance of finishing the project within the agreed-upon deadline while maintaining the highest levels of quality to achieve the project’s objectives.

Kamal bin Ahmed said: "The fuel complex forms an essential part of the strategy behind the Airport Modernisation Programme, which has the support of HRH the Prime Minister, and the support of HRH the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister."

"It also forms a part of GFG’s strategic projects, which aim to stimulate sustainable economic growth and generate new revenue streams in line with Bahrain Economic Vision 2030," said the minister.

"It’s crucial that we develop this project at the airport to reinforce the Kingdom’s position as a centre of aviation fuel services in the GCC region, and our partners have been sparing no effort to ensure its success," he added.