A new state-of-the-art aircraft refuelling facility has been launched at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, company officials said.

The facility is a joint venture between Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) of Dubai and Saudi Arabia’s Arabian Aircraft Services Company (Arabsco).

The joint venture is known as the United Gulf Aircraft Fuelling Company (Ugafco). It marks Enoc’s first move into aviation refuelling services outside the UAE.

Arabsco owns a 51 per cent stake in the joint venture and Enoc owns the remainder, company officials said.

As a reflection of its customer focus and forward thinking, the facility’s aircraft servicing equipment is designed to handle the giant Airbus A380 when it comes into service next year at Dubai International Airport, company officials said.

“This is the first step in Enoc’s ambitions to become the energy partner of choice in aviation refuelling, both within the region and elsewhere. Much depends on our success in Saudi Arabia,” said Hussain Sultan, group chief executive and board member of Enoc.

“The Gulf will be our primary target. We will also be looking to expand internationally in the aviation refuelling sector,” Sultan said.

Ugafco is now servicing a wide range of customers and aircraft, including international airlines, as well as meeting the highest standards in speed, service and environmental safety, company officials said.

“The company has already established a leadership position, both operationally and technologically, at the airport. We have a number of projects in preparation to raise standards of service still further,” said Mohammad Al Shablan, president and chief executive of Arabsco.

“Management is committed to maintaining this leadership and seeing this business grow,” he said.

“We are both leaders in our core businesses. This joint venture provides excellent synergy. By working in partnership with Arabsco’s established ground services, Ugafco will benefit from the growth in traffic to Jeddah.

"We can provide a full service destination for customer aircraft,” Al Shablan said.