The Belgian Council of Ministers gave the green light on Friday to the maintenance and modernisation of six military fuel depots spread across the country. The decision was taken on the proposal of Defence Minister Theo Francken and announced by his office in a press release. The new contract runs from 2027 to 2033 and carries a budget of nearly €10 million.
A decision taken on the Defence Minister's proposal
It was Defence Minister Theo Francken who brought this file before the Council of Ministers. Defence has thus obtained approval to launch a maintenance and modernisation programme covering six military fuel depots. These installations are not all in the same place: they are spread across Belgian territory, which reflects operational needs that differ from one site to another. The information was made public by the minister's office in a press release.
Six depots, different uses
The press release describes the role of several of these sites, and each serves a specific purpose:
- The installations at Koksijde (Coxyde), Kleine-Brogel and Florennes supply kerosene to the Land Component.
- At Zeebrugge, diesel is stored for maritime applications.
- The Grobbendonk depot supplies military vehicles.
There are therefore depots dedicated to kerosene, a diesel storage site oriented towards maritime use, and a depot serving military vehicles.
Zeebrugge: a particular role for NATO
Among these six installations, the fuel depot at the Zeebrugge naval base plays, according to the press release, a particular role. NATO requires this installation to remain operational so that the supply of allied assets is ensured. The site therefore does not serve national needs alone: its proper functioning is a requirement set by the Alliance. This is a central element of the file, since it ties the modernisation of these depots to commitments that go beyond the strictly Belgian framework.
Installations from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s
The minister stresses that several installations date from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. They must therefore be modernised. The approved programme is not limited to routine upkeep. It also aims to bring up to standard equipment built over three decades, with work covering both the day-to-day operation of the depots and their compliance with the rules currently in force.
A contract from 2027 to 2033
The new contract runs from 2027 to 2033. It covers several types of services:
- preventive maintenance;
- technical inspections;
- repairs;
- compliance work to meet the standards in force.
The contract thus brings together, within a single multi-year framework, preventive maintenance, technical inspection, repair and standards compliance for the six depots.
The budget: nearly €10 million
A budget of nearly €10 million is planned for the entire duration of the contract. It is split into two main envelopes:
- around €3.15 million for investments;
- around €6.84 million for maintenance and operation.
The share devoted to maintenance and operation is therefore more than double that of investments. These amounts cover the whole 2027-2033 period, not a single year.
A military supply matter
The fuels covered by this decision are kerosene for the Land Component, diesel for maritime applications and fuel for military vehicles. This is therefore a matter of supplying Defence, separate from the prices displayed at petrol stations. To follow pump prices in Belgium, see the Belgian stations page; for crude oil trends, the Brent price page; and for other sector news, the fuel news section.