COLOMBO – Sri Lanka’s aviation sector has secured sufficient jet fuel stocks to last about two months, officials said, as disruptions in flight schedules begin to ease.
“Except for a few countries, flight services to the Middle East region have begun returning to their regular schedules,” Civil Aviation Authority Director Daminda Rambukwella said.
The conflict initially affected about 50-60% of flight operations, he said, but this had now fallen to around 30%.
There were sufficient stocks of Jet A-1 for international flights and Avgas for domestic flights, he said.
According to current data, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) holds a reserve of 34,000 metric tonnes (MT) of Jet A1 fuel. With local refineries contributing another 15,000 MT and orders already placed for an additional 43,000 MT.
“The average daily consumption is approximately 1,600 MT. At this rate, Sri Lanka has a fuel reserve sufficient for nearly 57 days – roughly two months,” Rambukwella said.
The supply chain is expected to be further bolstered by a 35,000 MT shipment currently nearing the island, followed by another 8,000 MT scheduled for arrival by April 2.
The CAA Chief also noted that stocks for smaller training aircraft are stable. There are currently 271 barrels of Avgas available against a daily requirement of just 3 barrels, providing a buffer for over 100 days.
The assurance of fuel availability covers all major hubs, including Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), Mattala, Jaffna, and the regional airport in Ratmalana.
-economynext.com
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