DUBAI — Tristar Group, the global integrated energy logistics company, announced that it has begun construction of 10 new storage tanks for its chemical terminal in Jebel Ali Free Zone (JAFZA) taken over from Shell in 2019. The construction of the storage tanks is part of an agreement signed with Shell and JAFZA in 2018, which will see the storage capacity of the JAFZA chemical terminal increase from 5,505 CBM to 25,000 CBM. Under the terms of the agreement, Shell will remain a customer. Construction of the new tanks began in April 2020 and will be completed by May 2021, creating jobs and contributing to the UAE’s economic recovery post COVID-19. Eugene Mayne, group CEO of Tristar said: “We are pleased to announce the commencement of our expansion and modernization program for the JAFZA chemical terminal. When we acquired the facility in 2019, we invested in the UAE’s vision and its position as a significant logistics hub. “The upgraded facility will be a turnkey and fully integrated distribution center that has the ability to handle bulk imports and packed chemical products at high volumes.” Other upgrades to the JAFZA chemical terminal that will be constructed in due course include a second loading gantry that can accommodate four road tankers simultaneously, a drumming line for flammable liquid, a 100-ton capacity weigh bridge and a two-story office building with a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) control room. The terminal currently has nine above ground storage tanks, a jetty with three pipeline connections to the tanks, a truck loading gantry and a drumming facility. It is situated on a 25,409 sqm lot facing the sea and is 350m away from the Ship offloading berth. Tristar owns and operates an existing dangerous goods facility in JAFZA South Zone which houses a wide range of packed chemicals and petroleum products. The facility has a total warehouse capacity that is in excess of 15,000 pallet positions. — SG