State Trading Organization (STO) confirms the arrival of company’s delayed jet fuel stock to the Maldives.
According to the Managing Director of the largest state-owned enterprise (SOE) of the island nation, Mr. Hussain Amru, the tanker carrying the jet fuel stock berthed in the commercial harbor earlier.
The news comes amid growing woes of supply challenges faced by the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) operating the Velana International Airport (VIA). Earlier, MACL reported of exponential demand growth due to which it had to place restrictions on fuel supply for airliners.
The sudden upwards momentum in jet fuel supply at VIA is resultant from Sri Lankan airports cutting its plane refueling services due to its ongoing economic predicament.
Sri Lankan airports discontinued its services as the island nation is currently suffering from its worst economic drivel in recent history, due to which the country has erupted with protests and riots.
MACL reports of the demand surge for jet fuel, due to which the fuel quantity supplied to airlines went up from 10,000 liters per day to 40,000 liters per day.
Meanwhile, VIA faces the challenge of storing jet fuel as its current storage capacity maxes out at 15 million liters. However, the airport is expecting the opening of a new fuel farm with a total storage capacity of 45 million liters; held in three of its massive tanks.
It is reported that with the opening of the new fuel farm in VIA, the airport’s jet fuel storage capacity will increase to 60 million liters.