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Light aircraft fuel supplies return
to normal after two-week shortage
by Ivan Brincat
The supply of Avgas 100 Octane Low Lead fuel has returned to
normal following a shortage lasting nearly two weeks.
The shortage affected operators of piston engine aircraft and
some AFM aircraft. Operators in the general aviation industry
were also affec-ted because June is considered to be the peak
season for light aircraft movements.
Sources told The Malta Business Weekly it was unfair that such
a situation had developed because this was the busiest time
of the year and various contracts are usually signed during
this period.
There are currently around 20 tug boats working in the tuna
penning business in Malta. They come from Italy, Spain, Croatia
and Japan
and have commissioned Maltese aircraft for tuna spotting. “Tuna
is a very big business in the Mediterranean and the boats which
operate from Malta are normally doing business for the Japanese
market.
“This is the biggest market in the world and a full-grown
fresh tuna could fetch up to Lm10,000 on the Japanese market
for sushi,” sources working closely with the industry said.
Operators based in Malta are commissioning Maltese aircraft
to be used for tuna spotting and this is creating a lot of business
in Malta for the supply of the vessels and fuel.
However, an incident between local fishermen and a Spanish company
operating in tuna transport had highlighted the problems which
exist at sea. A pilot of a light aircraft owned by the Spanish
firm said that shots were fired in its direction. The aircraft
are used to spot shoals of tuna fish.
Aircraft are allowed for tuna spotting in international waters
till 16 July. “People in the industry are now looking at
Libya as a base from where the aircraft can depart. In fact
Libya is trying to overtake us in this field. We stand to lose
a lot of business to Libya,” sources said.
Maltese fishermen have also been offered tuna-spotting services
but the sources said the Maltese do not have the equipment to
catch the tuna in large quantities and moreover do not operate
collectively like the Italians do.
The Italian fishermen used to hire Italian aircraft but are
now also giving business to Maltese aircraft operators.
Earlier this month, various companies involved in tuna penning
in Malta and in other countries compensated Maltese fishermen
for damage caused to their lines by tuna pens towed by the companies’
tug boats.
Moreover, an agreement was also reached on a 50-square-mile
zone which would be out of bounds to tug boats involved in the
transport of tuna in pens. The area extends from 25 to 80 miles
off Malta in the south-west.
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