SDF gets fuel bowser from local petroleum company |07 July 2023

The 6000-litre towable fuel bowser will allow the air wing to have increased mobility in refuelling its aircraft

By Sunny Esparon

The Seychelles Petroleum Company has donated a 6000-litre towable fuel bowser to the Seychelles Defence Forces.

The chief executive of Seypec, Sarah Romain, handed over the operation manual of the bowser to the Commanding Officer of the Seychelles Air Force, Major Rodney Zarine, in a short ceremony yesterday at the Seychelles Air Force Base, Pointe Larue.

When addressing the guests, including SDF Commander-in-Chief, President Wavel Ramkalawan, Mrs Romain emphasised the support and collaboration between the SDF and Seypec, which have already signed a memorandum of understanding to consolidate their existing partnership in strengthening national security and maritime surveillance.

Mrs Romain said since Seychelles is a small island nation situated across the vast expense of the Indian Ocean, the importance of the national security cannot be overstated.

She highlighted the crucial role of maritime security which include preventing illegal activities such as overfishing and unauthorised exploitation of precious marine resources, protecting sea trade routes, and ensuring the safety of the seafarers.

Mrs Romain further explained the relevancy for Seypec, stating that maritime safety is deeply ingrained in the company’s own operations.

“Being the key supplier of fuel in the region, we are acutely aware of the challenges that are posed by piracy, especially along the eastern coast of Africa. We have witnessed first-hand the detrimental effects of piracy on our fuel sales of Victoria.”

Under the signed MoU, Seypec recognises the importance of robust fuel stocking capacity of the SDF.

It already plans to establish a fuel facility on the island of Assomption to boost the defence forces’ capacity in patrolling the Seychelles waters and the outer islands without the patrol vessels having to come back to Mahé to refuel. They will also procure and install horizontal ground tanks of 40 thousand litre capacity each with associated product and fire water pipelines fittings, pumps and metering system for bunkering of marine vessels.

This project is under the procurement phase and is budgeted around R2.5 million.

Another project was the expansion of the fuel facility at the Defense Forces Coast Guard base at Perseverance with the addition of a 30 thousand-litre double compartment fuel tank inclusive of its infrastructure to accommodate the tanks and pipelines as per industry norms as well as five control piping networks. The facility, which costs R835,000 is a project that has already been completed and is fully realised to support the fuelling needs of the defence forces.

The third project under the MoU was the reason for yesterday’s ceremony. “It is my honour to have the privilege of officially handing over a remarkable contribution to the SDF air wing which is Jet A-1 Turbo Bowser of 6000-litre capacity manufactured in the UK at the cost of R1.97 million,” said Mrs Romain.

The turbo bowser will allow the air wing to have increased mobility in refuelling its aircraft. As it is towable, it can easily be transported to different locations as needed, providing fuel support.

In his word of thanks, the Chief of Defence Forces, Brigadier Michael Rosette, expressed his deepest gratitude and appreciation to Seypec. “It is through the kind contributions of organisations like yours that we are able to fulfil our vital mission and protect the sovereignty of Seychelles,” he stated.

He explained that the Air Force plays a crucial role in safeguarding the nation’s borders, conducting anti-narcotic and search and rescue operations, as well as providing lifesaving medical evacuation flights, among other critical tasks.

“Your donation will significantly enhance our capabilities and operational readiness.”

He added that with the addition of the fuel bowser to the Air Force Ground supporting equipment and the training provided by the Seypec staff to the airmen will enable the Seychelles Air Force to conduct independent refuelling operations. “This newfound capability will not only bolster our operational readiness but also ensure uninterrupted and timely refuelling in between flights.”

Furthermore, Brigadier Rosette said the donation will create new career opportunities within the Air Force, attracting more talented individuals to join the ranks.

“I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the invaluable support Seypec has provided to the Seychelles Air Force over the years. As the saying goes, without fuel, planes cannot fly, and your efficient management and exceptional service have played a vital role in ensuring the success of our operations,” he stated.

He acknowledged that the air force’s current location, at the southernmost end of the runway, presents itself with challenges when it comes to refuelling aircraft, particularly during urgent situations or odd hours.

“However, Seypec has consistently responded swiftly and positively to our needs, proving to be an indispensable partner. For this unwavering cooperation and support, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.”

During yesterday’s handover, Seypec’s general manager of Operations and Technical, Ray Hoareau, gave an overview of the unit’s functions. In a brief explanation to the press, he stated that maritime security and the overall security of the nation is important and the necessity of having a bowser for the air force is crucial.

“For us to do the air operations at the end of the day is greatly beneficial to us,” he explained.

This was echoed by Captain Julio Hoareau, operations and training officer, who said it will increase the capabilities of the air force and decrease the amount of time to react to incidents.

“One of our roles, being the search and rescue and patrolling, all the flights that we used to have when we would get calls at odd hours, we would need to call Seypec and there were a lot of procedures that needed to be done. All of that played with our time. But now with the bowser, once we have a flight and we need fuel, we can use our own manpower to refuel the plane.”

In his estimate, taking heavy surveillance and patrolling into consideration, the bowser can refuel a single plane 4-5 times.

The event also included the blessing of the bowser by the Defence Forces Chaplain Lieutenant Colonel Louis Agathine.

Photos by Joena Meme