Fuel logistics giant World Fuel Services appears poised to expand its reach in the aviation fuels business, receiving European Commission clearance to acquire BP’s fuel operations at four airports in Sweden and Denmark. The EC concluded that “the proposed acquisition would not raise competition concerns because of the moderate combined market positions resulting from the transaction.” 

The EC statement noted that in December 2014 BP had committed to divest the aviation fuels businesses at the four airports to obtain commission approval of its proposed merger with Statoil Fuel and Retail Aviation. BP and Statoil had competitive fuel operations at Copenhagen Kastrup in Denmark, as well as at the Swedish airports of Stockholm Arlanda, Gothenburg Landvetter and Malmö. As a condition of the merger, BP agreed to seek a buyer for the Statoil business at the airports and in the interim keep it as a separate entity under SFR Aviation.

The sale, to be completed this year, will include supply, logistics, joint venture shares, customer contracts and employees involved in the business, Air BP said. For World Fuel, it continues the expansion of the Miami-based company that already sells fuel and provide services at more than 8,000 locations in more than 200 countries and territories.