- The company will manage fuel supply and the hydrant network at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport for seven years; the airport handled over 5 million passengers in 2024
- With Madeira, the company will operate 50 airports worldwide, two of them in Portugal, where it already manages fuel supply and storage at Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport
Madrid, June 11, 2026.
Exolum has commenced operations at the aviation fuel storage and distribution facilities and the hydrant network at Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport in Madeira, Portugal, managed by ANA (VINCI Group). The company will invest more than €4.5 million by 2029 in the construction of new infrastructure designed to increase the facility’s storage capacity to 1,300 m³. The contract has an initial term of seven years, with the option to extend to nine years.
The scope of the project includes the comprehensive operation of the fuel storage facility (fuel farm), currently comprising six horizontal tanks, as well as the hydrant system, which is over one kilometre long and has 32 supply points. Furthermore, Exolum will lead the design and implementation of new infrastructure aimed at increasing storage capacity and improving the facility’s operational efficiency.
The project will be carried out in several phases and will include the construction of new tanks, the progressive modernisation of existing facilities and the implementation of advanced control and safety systems. This investment will increase the airport’s operational autonomy to five days and will also facilitate the implementation of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) in Madeira.
In the words of Javier Goñi, CEO of Exolum: “With the addition of Madeira Airport, we are now present at 50 airports, guaranteeing a reliable, efficient supply that meets the highest quality standards. This presence provides us with extensive knowledge and solid experience in airport management across Europe and the Americas. Aviation is a strategic area for our company in which we want to continue growing”.
This initiative will strengthen the reliability of the airport’s fuel supply, improve operational efficiency and support the expected growth in air traffic in the region. Furthermore, it highlights Exolum’s ability to develop complex energy infrastructure projects in strategic locations, offering solutions tailored to each client’s needs. With this project, Exolum consolidates its commitment to operational excellence, innovation and sustainability in the transport and storage of energy products, strengthening its role as a leading partner in the energy and aviation sectors.
Madeira’s Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport handles over 5 million passengers a year. With more than 600 weekly flights, it is one of Portugal’s busiest airports and a leading global tourist destination. The most recent forecasts estimate that by 2030 it will supply an annual average of 120,000 m³ of fuel, compared to 105,000 m³ distributed in 2025. In Portugal, Exolum also operates Lisbon’s Humberto Delgado Airport, which in 2025 exceeded 36 million passengers.
Rui Coutinho, Madeira Airport Director, commented: “At ANA | VINCI Airports, as operators of critical infrastructure, we have a responsibility to ensure the reliability, efficiency, and long-term capacity of our facilities. This investment at Madeira Airport is a clear example of that commitment, reinforcing fuel infrastructure to support the airport’s continued growth while maintaining the highest standards of safety and operational performance”.
Exolum’s leadership in the aviation sector
Exolum is Europe’s leading multinational in liquid logistics and one of the world’s leading companies in this sector. In the aviation sector, the company builds and operates all types of fuel storage and distribution infrastructure, both within and outside airport premises, including hydrant networks. It also provides fuel loading services and other specialised services, reaffirming its commitment to the highest quality standards and the transition to sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).
With the addition of this new infrastructure in Madeira, the company now manages 50 airports across Europe and Latin America thanks to its international expertise. Among the airports where it already operates are Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez, Barcelona-El Prat, Dublin, Lima and Panama. Furthermore, in the United Kingdom, it provides storage and transport logistics services to airports such as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester through its pipeline network.
The company is a strategic partner of IATA and a member of the Joint Inspection Group (JIG). Furthermore, we sit on several committees and subcommittees of the Energy Institute and are an Affiliate Member of ALTA (Latin American and Caribbean Air Transport Association) and ACI (Airports Council International).
