Rail Transport of Fuel Resumes to Power Plants in Aleppo and Hama
The Syrian General Railways Corporation has officially resumed the transport of fuel via its rail network from the Baniyas refinery in Tartus Governorate to thermal power stations in Aleppo and Hama. The resumption of service, which began at the start of October, follows a 50-day suspension period necessitated by periodic maintenance work at the refinery.
Nidal Abdul Qadir, Deputy Director of the Syrian Railways in Tartus, stated that the scheduled transport operations are designed to supply fuel to the Al-Zara power station in the Hama countryside and the Al-Radwaniyah station in Aleppo. This initiative is part of broader efforts to secure the fuel requirements necessary to maintain the continuous operation of power plants and meet current energy demands.
Abdul Qadir highlighted that the Tartus branch holds direct operational responsibility for the movement of oil derivatives from the Baniyas refinery to the interior of the country. He affirmed that the railway network is prepared to carry out these transport operations with high efficiency, contingent upon the volumes available at the refinery.
Regarding operational performance, the official provided data on the volume of work achieved since the beginning of the year, noting that a total of approximately 5,300 fuel tanker cars have been transported by train. With an average capacity of 60 tons per car, the use of rail transport offers significant logistical and economic advantages. Each rail tanker carries more than double the capacity of a conventional road tanker, which contributes to reducing traffic congestion on public roads, lowering truck fuel consumption, and enhancing road safety standards.
Looking toward future operations, the Deputy Director confirmed that there is an action plan in place to increase the quantities of fuel transported and to boost the frequency of trips in the coming period. He noted that the execution of these plans will depend primarily on the availability of fuel supplies at the Baniyas refinery. These rail transport operations remain a strategic element in the move toward moving large volumes of oil derivatives to ensure the sustainability of electrical power supplies while alleviating pressure on the national road network.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
