New Company Selected to Manage Aviation Fuel Infrastructure in Vilnius and Palanga as the Airports Prepare to Supply Sustainable Aviation Fuel
A company called ‘Baltjet‘ won the public contract through the international call for tenders procedure for the management of aviation fuel supply infrastructure (fuel farms) at Vilnius and Palanga airports, which was launched by Lithuanian Airports. In addition to the usual processes of aviation fuel supply, the new operator has committed itself to contribute to the implementation of environmental solutions – technical possibilities for the storage and supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to aircraft.
The company that won the lease tender will manage the specific aviation fuel infrastructure at the airport of the country’s capital and at Palanga Airport. The operator will take care of the storage of aviation fuel, quality inspection, fuel dispensing and supply to aircraft, and of all other processes related to the management of the fuel infrastructure.
Separate contracts for the lease of the fuel bases of Vilnius and Palanga airports have been signed with the company ‘Baltjet’ in September. The company was established by the tenderer Undoz Ventures Limited which has the experience of jet fuel delivery process at Riga and Tallinn Airports.
Dainius Čiuplys, Head of Operations and Infrastructure at Lithuanian Airports, said:It is important for us to manage our existing infrastructure efficiently, using professionals in their field and by building a win-win partnership. The advent of an experienced operator will help to ensure that fuel costs are kept to a minimum for the end-users - the airlines, and that any change is clearly justified and transparent. Looking further into the future, the important thing is that the operator has committed itself to contribute to environmental objectives that are important to us and to aviation as a whole, that is, to adapt the infrastructure at our airports and to create the possibilities for the storage and supply of sustainable aviation fuel.
The aviation fuel base at Vilnius Airport is part of the central infrastructure – any fuel supplied to aircraft must be stored and dispensed in this infrastructure, and its parameters must be constantly inspected in accordance with international standards.
The lease contracts stipulate that the lessee of the fuel bases must invest on the annual base in the fuel storage and dispensing infrastructure at Vilnius and Palanga airports. All assets in the fuel bases must be renewed at least twice during the activity period. The lease contracts have been signed for a period of 10 years.
The JET-A1 jet fuel tank at Vilnius Airport holds 4 000 cubic meters of fuel, at Palanga Airport – 300 cubic meters, and 25 cubic meters of aviation gasoline.
This article was originally published by State Enterprise Lithuanian Airports.
