AVIATION fuel stored in huge tanks in a busy residential area is being transferred through pipelines to a new facility at Bahrain International Airport (BIA), it has emerged.
Residents of Arad had raised concerns over the presence of Jet A-1 fuel tankers, following a devastating port warehouse explosion in Beirut last month that killed scores of people.
Transfer
Bahrain Aviation Fuelling Company (Bafco) general manager Wayne Harris, however, allayed fears over the tankers – asserting that fuel was being moved out of the area to a new storage facility at the airport.
He also ruled out the frequent movement of trucks in and out of the Arad depot as the transfer is mostly being done through pipelines.
The GDN had earlier reported that area councillor Ahmed Al Meghawi had raised concern over Jet A-1 fuel tanker truck movements in the area.
“It is unlikely there will be any requirement for regular high volume movement of tanker trucks into and out of Arad depot for the remainder of the facility operation,” said Mr Harris in a written response to Mr Al Meghawi.
“There will be very little transfer of Jet A-1 from Arad to the airport via trucks.
“The majority of fuel transfer will be via the pipeline and Bafco will clearly communicate in advance if there will be a requirement for heavy truck movements as part of the shutdown and demolition of the Arad depot.
“We will also put in place curfew hours to avoid disruption to residents where possible,” the statement added.
Mr Harris also ruled out the need for road upgrades in Arad.
New airport tanks have sufficient capacity and truck deliveries to BIA will be very rare, he said.
Meanwhile, Mr Al Meghawi told the GDN that area residents were relieved the transfer process has begun.
“Since the devastating explosion in Beirut, residents have been living in fear,” he said.
On August 4, two explosions in Beirut caused at least 177 deaths, 6,000 injuries and $10 billion to $15bn in property damage, leaving an estimated 300,000 people homeless.
The event was linked to about 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate – equivalent to around 1.2 kilotonnes of TNT – which had been confiscated by the Lebanese government from an abandoned ship, MV Rhosus, and then stored in the port without proper safety measures for six years.
Interior Minister General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa announced on August 11 the establishment of a committee that will take stock of dangerous substances in the country, their storage sites and inspection mechanisms.
Precautionary
It will also ensure compliance with precautionary measures in force in this regard, from the time these materials reached the kingdom’s ports to moving them to safe storage places, far from urban areas.
“We have put the full weight of the council along with other official bodies in the kingdom to ensure that the plan to move the aviation fuel happens according to the schedule,” said Mr Al Meghawi.
“My sources in the company told me that work commenced around two weeks ago on reducing the fuel in one of the largest tanks and will be moving according to the plan.”
reem@gdn.com.bh
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