Shell Aviation is forecasting significant market growth in the Middle East and is to implement several strategies to manage traffic increases. "In the past decade, the Middle East has seen its passenger and cargo traffic grow above the global average, and the number of passengers carried to most regions have more than doubled," says regional general manager for Middle East and South Africa Xavier Hery. "Both traffic and capacity is expected to grow by 13 per cent this year, higher than any other region in the world."

Shell Aviation has been active in the Middle East since 1962 starting in Muscat, Oman. Its network has since expanded to numerous airport locations in the Middle East, south Asia and South Africa. In 2010, Shell Aviation took a leading role in operating the fuel farm and into-plane refuelling services at Dubai World Central (DWC). Shell has been active in South Africa for over 110 years.

The company has also embarked on an aviation centre of excellence (ACE) programme, which is a proposition for FBOs to grow and optimise operational and safety processes. The offer covers six areas: marketing assistance, supply security, delivering safe and effective operations, continuous asset supply, management, and maintenance support. Through the ACE programme, Shell assists airports in offering supply reliability and safe, efficient operations to business jet customers.

Continues Hery: "The typical challenges our customers experience include optimising operating costs, increasingly stringent industry aviation fuel standards, changing supply chains, complying with tougher environmental and safety laws, maintaining standards of excellence in operations and ensuring they have a steady fuel supply wherever they fly to.

"At locations where we operate, we have experienced teams managing our supply chains and business continuity plans to minimise the risk of disruptions."