In response to the Russia-Ukraine situation, Conex Energy Inc., the only firm that supplies jet fuel to planes that fly into Liberia, has issued a warning that there would be a scarcity of jet fuel in the area.
A shipment of jet fuel from the corporation is scheduled to arrive in the nation on May 17, according to company officials.
As a result, aircraft going to Liberia may be unable to refuel at Roberts International Airport due to the closure. Consequently, some flights to Monrovia may be suspended, while others may see a significant alteration in their travel itineraries to and from the nation.
“We have informed all relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Commerce and Transport, the Roberts International Airport (RIA), and the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC),” Conex said in a press release. “This will provide our customers and stakeholders with sufficient time to plan accordingly.”
These events are taking place at a time when the Roberts International Airport is experiencing an energy shortage, which has forced planes, notably those operated by SN Brussels and Royal Air Maroc, to reroute landings to the neighboring country of Sierra Leone.
Because of the distance that Royal Air Maroc, SN Brussels, and Kenya Airways must travel before arriving in Liberia, they often refuel in the country.
At the moment, SN Brussels is the only airline that offers direct flights to Liberia from Europe.
In a related development, President George Weah has appointed a Managing Director for the Liberia Airport Authority (LAA), which had previously been without one.
Mr. Darlington T. Karnley has been nominated to administer the airport by President Weah, who announced his nomination on Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Executive Mansion, the new LAA Manager is currently employed as an Avionics Tech Specialist Manager at Boeing, America’s leading aircraft manufacturer, where he is responsible for overseeing the installation, inspection, testing, adjusting, and repairing of avionics equipment, such as radar, radio, navigation, and missile control systems in aircraft or space vehicles, among other things.
He also works as an Aviation Maintenance Technician, specializing in airframe and engine maintenance.
Mr. Karnley, according to the Executive Mansion, brings a wealth of experience in the area of aviation to the portfolio. He is now a Master’s Degree Candidate in Aviation Management at the Aviation Institute of Maintenance in Philadelphia, the Executive Mansion said.
Aside from that, he possesses a Bachelor of Science degree from Cuttington University in North Carolina, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Southern Adventist University in the United States of America.
President Weah has also appointed Mrs. Ruth Coker Collins to the position of Minister of Public Works of Liberia, which has been pending for some time.
