VASCO
The country’s major fuel supplier, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, has supplied Jet A1 fuel, lubes and Marine Gas Oil (MGO) as a bouquet offering for the prestigious 40th Indian Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (ISEA) mission.
The unique feature of this supply is that the aviation fuel Jet A1 has been supplied in bulk and packed form to a non-aviation customer and is delivered to an ocean-going vessel for the first time.
This was stated by Gurmeet Singh, Director (Marketing), IndianOil in the presence of National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR) Director Dr M Ravichandran, MPT Chairman Dr E Ramesh Kumar and Dr N Vinodkumar, Postmaster General, Goa Region, during the fuelling ceremony of the 40th ISEA at the MPT on Monday.
This 40th expedition marks four decades of Indian scientific endeavour in Antarctica and is being undertaken with the ice class vessel MV Vasiliy Golovnin, which has a heli-hangar that accommodates two helicopters used for conveyance in the field and to move cargo between the ship and the Antarctic stations.
Singh said the fuel will be used for aviation support and power generation units as well as in snowmobiles and for the voyage itself.
"After about 22 years, yet again, the Antarctica expedition is procuring fuel from India. Till the last expedition, fuel was being obtained from outside the country. The expedition needs various types of fuel and lubricants for their logistic needs at the two Indian stations in Antarctica.”
“Indian Oil’s strength to provide a complete energy solution to NCPOR via a single window is a feather in our cap and a support for “Make in India” objectives. The fuelling of 40th ISEA by country’s oil major IndianOil exhibits the spirit of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’," said Singh.
He said the Indian Oil historically has been a preferred fuel partner in national endeavours, such as the defence services and railways.
“Now with its association with the 40th ISEA, the corporation has earned the unique distinction of providing uninterrupted availability of petroleum products from the coldest region of the country “ from Leh to the coldest region of the world “ Antarctica," said Singh.
"The company has had many prestigious firsts: it was first in the country to supply bunker fuel with the new specifications mandated by the International Maritime Organisation.”
“Indian Oil is also the first oil company in the country to produce BS-VI compliant winter-grade High Speed Diesel (HSD) capable of withstanding extremely low temperatures of up to -33 degree centigrade in winter in the Himalayan region and supply of MIL-grade HFHSD (High Flash HSD) for the Indian Navy from Paradip and Haldia refineries,” said Singh.
