Info on fuel stocks sought from int’l airport operators

New Delhi/Mumbai: State-owned Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked all international airport operators in the country to provide details about available fuel stocks as well as estimated requirements for the next seven days amid the escalating Middle East crisis, sources said on Tuesday.

The communication comes against the backdrop of the escalating conflict in the Middle East involving the US, Israel and Iran that threatens to impact global oil supplies.

One of the sources said the details have been sought as a “precautionary measure” to have a clear understanding about the fuel supply situation at the international airports.

The sources said that following directions from the civil aviation ministry, AAI has sought details about the current fuel supply status from all the international airport operators.

The operators have also been asked to provide details about average daily fuel consumption, estimated fuel requirement for the next seven days and date of next scheduled fuel replenishment, the sources said. India has 33 international airports, including at Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai.

In terms of international flight operations, there were 355 departures and 344 arrivals at the airports in the country on March 2, as per the data available with the ministry.

According to reports, many ships have come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, a key conduit for global

energy flows. Around one-third of the world’s seaborne crude oil exports and about 20 per cent of liquefied natural gas shipments transit through the Strait of Hormuz.

It is located between Oman and Iran and connects the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.