Bahrain Airport Company (BAC) and Bahrain Aviation Fuelling Company (BAFCO) marked the successful conclusion of an emergency training exercise at Bahrain International Airport’s (BIA) upcoming Fuel Farm complex, demonstrating the efficacy of BIA’s firefighting and rescue services. The trial represents a major milestone for the fuel farm’s operationalization program, which is undergoing final safety and security checks ahead of its launch.
The trial featured two mock crisis scenarios involving fires at the new facility. An emergency alert was activated and teams from BAC, BAFCO, the Ministry of Interior’s (MOI) Airport Police, National Ambulance, and Civil Defence departments, and the National Guard took coordinated action to achieve a successful outcome. Civil Aviation Affairs (CAA), the Kingdom’s aviation regulator, observed and audited the exercise with Bahrain Airport Services (BAS) on standby.
BAC Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of BAC Jet Fuel Company, Mohamed Yousif Al Binfalah said: “I would like to thank everyone involved in this exercise for tackling the simulated challenges with efficiency, teamwork, and the highest levels of professionalism. It provided an excellent opportunity for us to test our procedures and firefighting systems before operations begin at the Fuel Farm Complex. Conducting exercises such as this and learning from the results is crucial to enhance our overall emergency preparedness. By working closely with our partners at BIA, we can ensure any potential incidents are dealt with swiftly, calmly, and effectively while minimizing the impact on airport operations.”
The launch of the new complex will position Bahrain as a prominent and sophisticated aviation fuel services hub in the region and contribute to sustainable economic growth within the aviation sector in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030.
The Fuel Farm is a vital component of the Airport Modernization Program (AMP) that will add value for airline operators by streamlining aviation fuel supply, operations, and maintenance processes at BIA. It will also enhance the nation’s logistics and aviation sectors.
Housing aviation fuel tanks with a total capacity of 30,000 cubic meters, the complex covers an area of 77,000 sqm, including dedicated operational and service buildings. It is equipped with state-of-the-art safety and security features and the latest aviation product handling technologies.
BAC Jet Fuel Company (BJFCO), a joint venture between Bahrain Airport Company and The Oil and Gas Holding Company (Nogaholding), is developing the complex. BJFCO was formed in 2016 with the goal of restructuring the aviation fuel sector in the Kingdom and constructing and managing the fuel farm complex within the vicinity of BIA, as per directives from Bahrain’s leadership.