New Delhi, Aug 4 (IANS): Essar Oil (UK) Limited, which owns and operates the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex at Ellesmere Port, the UK, announced on Wednesday that it has begun supplying jet fuel directly to airlines at the Cardiff Airport, with new deals having already been secured with various carriers that operate flights from the Wales facility.

Essar's aviation fuel business has grown lately, with direct supply arrangements now in place with carriers at five major airports across the UK -- Manchester, Birmingham, London Stansted, Leeds-Bradford and Cardiff.

Adam Brayne, Aviation and Business Development Manager at Essar, said, "Adding Cardiff Airport to our UK network is a further chapter in our growth story, as Essar continues to support major airlines through what we hope will be a recovery period for the sector. We look forward to a successful partnership with the airport and are delighted to have already secured direct business with a number of key airline customers there."

David Walters, Chief Financial Officer of Cardiff Airport, added: "We have been working hard to ensure suitable choice is available to our airline partners at Cardiff Airport, and we are very pleased that Essar has agreed to work with us as a new long-term fuel partner. We really look forward to working closely with the company, as we welcome more flights and airlines back to Cardiff."

Essar Oil UK is a UK-focused downstream energy company whose main asset is the Stanlow Manufacturing Complex.

Stanlow annually produces over 16 per cent of the UK's road transport fuels. Since acquiring Stanlow in 2011, Essar has invested $1 billion in margin improvement and other efficiency initiatives to ensure the refinery remains competitive in a rapidly changing market.