Gazpromneft-Aero (GPNA), the aviation fuel division of Russia’s Gazprom Neft, has signed new long-term agreements with Air China, Hong Kong Airlines and Air France KLM for the refuelling of their aircraft at Moscow’s airports.

The company has also signed a long-term deal to refuel Turkish Airlines’ aircraft at the airports of Voronezh (Russia) and Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan).

The total refuelling volume under the new agreements will exceed 100,000 tonnes of jet fuel, the company reveals. The latest agreements are the result of GPNA’s compliance with international aircraft handling standards, and the use of digital data transfer, two key factors that have significantly contributed to the expansion of the company’s client portfolio and the growth of its international business, a statement adds.

Currently, more than 80 foreign air carriers are using GPNA services. Figures for the first five months of this year reveal that the total refuelling volume of international airlines has increased by 18 per cent year-on-year.

“Developing partnerships with the world’s largest carriers at Russian and international airports is one of the company’s strategic goals. Gazpromneft-Aero aims to sign new formula-based agreements with aviation market leaders for two-year terms,” points out Vladimir Egorov, chief executive of GPNA.

“This type of contract is based on international commodity exchange indicators. GPNA’s strategic partnerships allow airlines to plan their flights at the airports where GPNA has a global presence, taking into account the guaranteed provision of jet fuel according to the highest IATA standards,” Egorov, adds.

The subsidiary of Gazprom Neft, a daughter company of Gazprom, Russia’s third-largest oil producer, has been providing aircraft refuelling services and ‘wing tip’ sales of aviation fuel since December 2008 and has been a strategic partner of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for aviation fuel supply since that date.

GPNA is market leader in the Russian jet fuel supply business with the highest volume of retail sales. Total sales of aviation fuels in 2017 were in excess of 3.3 million tonnes, including “wing-tip” sales of 2.4 million tonnes. The company uses technology which complies with the highest level (Green) of fuelling operations safety.

With a global network covering 249 airports in 64 countries, GPNA is working in partnership with IATA on the active development and introduction of unified XML communication standards for the entire industry.