DLA Energy ships fuel storage containers for Operation United Assistance

News provided by

Oct 31, 2014, 03:42 ET

FORT BELVOIR, Va., Oct. 31, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Storage containers to hold Defense Logistics Agency Energy-procured fuel for the government's effort to combat Ebola in West Africa arrived in Buchanan, Liberia, Oct. 25.

The MV Vega delivered 30 International Standards Organization containers from Rotterdam, Netherlands, that will allow fuel to be stored for Operation United Assistance to the port there. The containers will extend on-hand supplies of fuel at treatment facilities.

"The tanks are intended to be used at the Ebola treatment units in order to extend the amount of supply each site has on hand so that the site requires less frequent pushes," said Army Col. Lee English, DLA Energy Europe & Africa commander.

Fuel and storage tanks were prepared for shipment before receiving formal requirements, said Bill Brennan, DLA Energy Europe & Africa deputy director.

"We were concerned there was not enough fuel storage for the Ebola treatment units that are scattered across Liberia," he said.

English said that the tanks may be used at locations besides ETUs.

"If not used at Ebola treatment units, the tanks can be used to provide bulk storage at other U.S. forces operational sites in order to minimize pushes," English added.

The containers were shipped empty to ensure they would make it to their destination.

"We were concerned about the weight of shipping tanks with fuel in them," English said. "Since the tanks are arriving in the rainy season, we were concerned that trucks carrying them might get mired in the mud, and we were also concerned that material handling equipment at the ports would struggle to lift the tanks if they were full."

The tanks can hold 6,500 U.S. gallons of fuel, allowing sufficient days of supply for most sites before the require another fuel delivery, said Chuck Berry, DLA Energy Europe & Africa quality assurance representative.

"Each container was thoroughly tested and certified prior to a final inspection," Berry said.

Berry inspected the containers, facilitated their movement to port and ensured they made it aboard the vessel without incident, as well as provided oversight quality assurance on the contract.

The fuel storage will support the planned 24 already-existing ETUs and the 17 being built in Liberia. Their specific locations will be based on mission requirements.

As a Department of Defense combat support agency, DLA provides the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, other federal agencies, and joint and allied forces with a variety of logistics, acquisition and technical services. The agency sources and provides nearly 100 percent of the consumable items America's military forces need to operate, from food, fuel and energy, to uniforms, medical supplies, and construction and barrier equipment. DLA also supplies more than 85 percent of the military's spare parts.

Headquartered at Fort Belvoir, Va., DLA has about 25,000 employees worldwide and supports more than 2,440 weapon systems. For more information about DLA, go to www.dla.mil, www.facebook.com/dla.mil or http://twitter.com/dlamil.

Editor's Note: Article written by Christopher Goulait, public affair specialist with DLA Energy.

To see photos, go to http://www.dla.mil/dla_media_center/Pages/newsarticle201410300200.aspx

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130918/MM82677LOGO

SOURCE Defense Logistics Agency