The leading companies involved in aviation fuel storage and into-plane services have established the Spanish Association of Into-Plane and Airport Fuel Storage Operators (Asociación Española de Operadores de Puesta a Bordo y Almacenamiento de Combustible en Instalaciones Aeroportuarias), the first organisation of its kind in Spain.
The new association has been created to provide a unified industry voice as the sector addresses evolving regulatory, technological and environmental challenges.
Founded by Terminales Canarios, Servicios Logísticos de Combustibles de Aviación (SLCA) and Exolum, the association will represent an industry considered essential to maintaining the operational continuity of air transport, ensuring airport safety, supporting territorial connectivity and advancing the sustainable development of aviation.
The organisation has been formally registered by Spain’s General Directorate of Labour, part of the Ministry of Labour and Social Economy, following the publication of the approval in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 25th May. The registration marks a significant milestone for a sector that plays a critical role in the aviation value chain and supports strategic industries, including Spain’s tourism sector.
Iván Saco Muiño, president of the association and vice-president of commercial airports at Exolum, said the organisation had been established to strengthen collaboration between operators while serving as the industry’s representative before public authorities, regulators and airport operators. He said the association aims to contribute to the development of a safer, more efficient and more sustainable sector by promoting operational best practice and supporting aviation’s energy transition.
Supporting transport and tourism
Airport fuel storage, distribution and into-plane services underpin the daily operation of Spain’s aviation network and are regarded as strategically important to the country’s transport and tourism industries.
Ángel Marín, general manager of SLCA, said airport fuel operators provide services across the entire value chain, from fuel storage and distribution through to into-plane operations, making them an essential component of efficient airport operations and the wider air transport system.
Alongside supporting day-to-day airport operations, the sector is preparing for significant changes driven by aviation decarbonisation, the growing adoption of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), evolving regulatory requirements and the need to further improve operational safety and efficiency.
Canary Islands remain a strategic focus
The Canary Islands will be one of the association’s key priorities due to the founding members’ long-standing presence in the region and the vital role aviation plays in the islands’ connectivity and economic development.
Juan Luis Santana, general manager of Terminales Canarios, said the Canary Islands’ status as an outermost region makes aviation fuel supply a critical service for maintaining connections with mainland Spain, Europe and key international tourism markets. He added that the sector also supports the development of specialist expertise, skilled employment, investment and the islands’ position as a strategic hub for international air traffic.
The association said it intends to draw on the extensive experience of operators in the Canary Islands while promoting coordinated solutions to address increasing air traffic, the deployment of sustainable aviation fuel, aviation decarbonisation, regulatory developments and fuel supply security in regions that rely heavily on air connectivity.
For more information visit www.exolum.com
