Sasco's new premises inaugurated

Aviation fuel offtake at Sharjah International Airport, which has historically witnessed an average 3-5 per cent annual increase, will see a "small rise" at the lower end of the average scale, Christian Tabet, managing director, Sharjah Aviation Services Co (Sasco), stated yesterday.

Speaking at the inauguration of its new premises at the airport by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Thani, chairman, Sharjah Civil Aviation, he said volumes recorded by the company last year stood at 125 million gallons.

Sasco, a 51:49 joint venture between Air BP and Felix Trading Co, is the sole provider of aviation fuel at the airport, with its facilities including storage tanks, vehicles, buildings and workshops.

It markets fuel supplied by five oil majors - Air BP, Shell, Adnoc, Emarat and Enoc - on behalf of Sharjah airport to all aircraft landing at the terminal.

The company's investment in its Sharjah facilities is estimated at around Dh36.7 million ($10 million).

Tabet added that September 11 did see fuel offtake slip 15 per cent, although volumes rebounded sharply to normal levels within around six weeks. But he indicated that with the global aviation industry continuing to witness a recession, fuel offtake growth in Sharjah would likely remain low.

He explained that the company has just invested Dh1.5 million in upgrading its facilities, nearly a third of which have gone to eco-friendly features in keeping with the commitment to environmental protection.

The company also unveiled its new logo and launched its new charter.

Earlier Tim Bingham, general manager of Air BP's Mideast businesses, pointed out that BP has forged its relations with Sharjah back in 1932, and looked forward continued growth for mutual benefit.