Air BP
Air BP and CNAF at JV signing ceremony of the latest agreement. Credit: BP.

Air BP and China National Aviation Fuel Group (CNAF) have signed a joint venture (JV) agreement to operate a general aviation fuel business in south-west China.

The CNAF Air BP General Aviation Fuel Company JV covers Sichuan and Guizhou provinces, as well as Chongqing Municipality.

It aims to support the growth and development of China’s general aviation sector with a focus on civil aviation.

Air BP and CNAF plan to expand the JV’s scope in the future.

The Chinese general aviation sector is reported to have been experiencing rapid growth in recent years and it is anticipated to continue.

By 2020, China’s Government expects the country’s general aviation to reach two million hours flown and the fleet size to cross 5,000 aircraft.

Air BP CEO Jon Platt said: “We are delighted to extend our existing successful partnership with CNAF from commercial aviation into general aviation.

“Combining Air BP’s globally renowned global aviation fuels, best practices and innovative fuelling technologies with CNAF’s strong presence and local expertise, we look forward to jointly contributing to the sustainable development of China’s aviation industry over the long-term.

CNAF chairman Zhou Qiang said: “Although China’s general aviation is still in its early stage, we are confident that it will grow into a towering tree and become the two wings of China’s aviation industry together with commercial aviation. The cooperation between CNAF and Air BP will support the development of China’s general aviation industry.”

Air BP has been a long-term CNAF partner via the Shenzhen Chengyuan Aviation Oil Co and South China Bluesky Aviation Oil JVs, which currently deliver aviation fuel to 29 airports in central and southern China.

Air BP currently supplies nearly six and a half billion gallons of aviation fuel a year. It provides fuel to more than 6,000 flights a day at 900 locations worldwide.

CNAF provides aviation fuel into-plane services to more than 229 domestic commercial airports and 57 overseas airports where CNAF has its own fuel supply plants.