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Airport refuelling system commissioned

by Rashomi Silva

The first phase of development of the Airport Aviation Refuelling system was commissioned yesterday with the opening of the Aviation Refuelling Terminal and the Underground Fuel Hydrant System at the Katunayake International Airport by Power and Energy Minister Karu Jayasuriya.

This refuelling system owned by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) is one of the best and advanced refuelling systems in the region and offers very competitive rates, CPC chairman Daham Wimalasena said at the inaugural ceremony.

The second phase of the development project is expected to begin early next year with the commissioning of the Muturajawela tank farm and underground pipeline system to connect the tank farm with the aviation refuelling system, he said.

"With that we hope to bring down our rates drastically offering very competitive rates in the entire Asian region". However "at present we offer the cheapest rates in South Asia."

"We hope to negotiate with the other airlines operating to Sri Lanka to establish aviation refuelling as a separate business establishment and to handle the marketing part."

CPC which had been a liability to the nation a few years back was turned into a profit-making organisation due to the efficiency and the good leadership of the present management, the minister said.

"The present management of the CPC was able to reverse the situation and turn it into a profit earning and well run organisation," Wimalasena said.

Legislation to facilitate oil exploration here by foreign investors was tabled in Parliament last week. We hope to get the support of opposition parties to pass this legislation as a special Act, the Minister said.

"With the ongoing peace process the course of the country will be altered for the better if our endeavours are successful", the Minister said.

Increased storage capacity, high level safety precautions and ability to carry out six parallel refuelling operations are the features of this new terminal, the CPC Chairman said.

The project was conceived and planned more than 20 years back, but was delayed due to security reasons.

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