Belize Flag

The Esso Bulk Storage Facility

These pictures show the construction of the first fuel bulk storage depot in Belize, built in the early 1940's under my father's supervision. The tanks were built for Shell B.H. Ltd. All of the fuel, however, was provided by Esso, who paid Shell for the use of their facilities. The depot was built on the Haulover Creek and Northern Highway. The swampy land had to be filled in by dredger. A line was run from the depot to the airport for another tank holding 91 octane aviation fuel.	Prior to the construction of this depot all fuel was brought into Belize in 55 gallon drums. With the addition of the holding tanks, fuel could be barged up from Honduras, where there were tanker unloading facilities. The fuel, which included gasoline, diesel oil, kerosene and aviation gas, was brought in a barge called he Esso-Tela to a dock on the Haulover Creek where the fuel was pumped directly into the bulk storage tanks. Drum filling equipment was installed at the depot for distribution of the fuel around the colony.
The suction dredger, which was also used to keep the river mouth open, was employed in the filling project	A grab dredger working on the landfill for the depot
Pipes carrying fill from the suction dredger to the site	Tank bases, a portion of the retaining wall for the drum filling shed and pump houses