Tema, June 2, GNA - The Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) on Sunday took delivery of Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) through one of the five loading and discharging arms at the oil jetty of the Tema main harbour. Consequently, operators of the Joint Users Hydrant Installation (JUHI) who are the Shell and Total oil companies, sole dealers in the ATK, have started lifting the product for supply to airlines.

Mrs Aba Lokko, TOR's Public Affairs Manager, told the GNA on Monday that TOR has three weeks' stock of the product. She said the actual faulty loading/discharging arm, the facility used to deliver the ATK into a vessel, has still not been repaired as the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) was still looking for an appropriate crane to tackle the job.

Leakage detected on the loading/discharging arms last week caused shortage of the product, thus compelling the airlines to resort to neighbouring countries for the supply of ATK.

There are five discharging arms, two each for "white" and "black" fuel products whilst the remaining one is for Liquefied Petroleum Product (LPG). The one used to deliver the ATK developed the fault. TOR in a statement expressed the intention to commission a 20,000m=B3 Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK) by next month to ensure adequate supply of the fuel to avert future shortage. It also requested GPHA to change the loading and discharging arms into flexible hoses as being done elsewhere in the industry.

The statement urged the JUHI to increase their storage capacity at the airport.