Moscow, March 19 - Neftegaz.RU. Gazpromneft-Aero, operator of the Gazprom Neft aviation refuelling business, reported today that the company increased wing-tip sales of aviation fuels by 2.7 million tonnes in 2018 - an 11% increase year-on-year. Total sales were up 9%, to 3.6 million tonnes.
The business’ international network increased its geographic range in 2018, expanding to cover 260 airports across 66 countries. Gazpromneft-Aero began refuelling operations in Malaysia and Gambia for the 1st time, as well as significantly increasing its presence at airports in China and Tunisia.
Thanks to a positive trend in sales of aviation fuel - predominantly in the Asia-Pacific region, the UAE, Serbia and Egypt - international sales were up 15 %, reaching 246,000 tonnes by the end of the year.
Gazpromneft-Aero is the 1st of Russia’s aviation refuelling operators to begin implementing a digital development strategy, with the 1st refuelling of a scheduled flight under a digital smart contract, based on blockchain technology, being undertaken in 2018. Gazpromneft-Aero has also successfully tested the concept of robotized filling systems for airfield tankers.
Vladimir Egorov, CEO, Gazpromneft-Aero, commented: «We updated our strategy for developing the aviation business to 2030 last year - the key objectives of this long-term strategy being to get Gazpromneft-Aero into the Top 10 largest international operators, doubling direct sales, and achieving a 5-fold increase in wing-tip refuelling abroad. Achieving these ambitious goals will be ensured through the pro-active development of our international network and by introducing best practice in technology and digitisation into our production processes, as well as through positive growth in demand for aviation fuel in Russia.»
