ABU DHABI, 19 Sep, 05 (WAM) - Sharjah Pipeline Co. (SPC), ajoint venture between the Government of Sharjah and BP MiddleEast, signed a lease agreement with Hamriyah Free Zone (HFZ)to build a jet fuel storage facility in the free zone.
The Dhs118-million facility will be linked directly to SharjahInternational Airport (SIA) by a 41-kilometre pipeline,according to a report in The Gulf Today.
Under the terms of the agreement SPC will build a four-tank,50,000-metric tonne storage facility in the HFZ to be named Anabeeb,which is the Arabic for "pipeline." The facility will includeconstruction of import facilities at Hamriyah Port for dischargingfuel from supply vessels.
The Anabeeb facilities, covering 45,000 square metres, willcost Dhs118 million, including the pipeline to SIA.
The agreement was signed by Sheikh Khaled Bin Abdullah Bin SultanAl Qasimi on behalf of HFZ and Sheikh Sultan Bin Ahmed Bin SultanAl Qasimi on behalf of SPC.
Also attending the signing ceremony were Civil Aviation ChairmanSheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Al Thani, Hamriyah Free Zone Director-GeneralRashid Al Leem, Sharjah Airport Authority Director-General GhanemAl Hajri and other top officials.
The design and construction management services for the projecthave been contracted to Mott MacDonald Limited and the actualconstruction awarded to Sharjah-based contractor MIS. Work willcommence in November this year with completion and commissioningexpected in October 2006. "This project is strategic for Sharjahin terms of providing the necessary infrastructure for supportingthe emirate's growing aviation section," Sheikh Sultan said.
"Sharjah Airport has grown over the past few years and with therapid expansion of Air Arabia we expect traffic at the airportto grow substantially," Sheikh Abdulla Al Thani said. "The newfacility is an important step in ensuring that Sharjah Airporthas the infrastructure to meet this increase," he said. "TheAnabeeb facility will eliminate about 50 round trips by fueltankers on Sharjah's roads every day, which will benefit roadsafety and reduce congestion," Air BP General Manager (MiddleEast Business) Thorsten Luft said. The Anabeeb facility has been designed giving the highest priorityto health, safety and environmental considerations.
