Agility-owned Tristar has been involved in humanitarian operations in Africa for a decade by building and operating fuel supply chains to support forces engaged in peace-keeping missions. In 2007, the Tristar group in Dubai was awarded a long-term fuel supply contract in Sudan, requiring the group to build and operate fuel supply infrastructure under challenging circumstances, such as weather, poor road networks and security risks, and within time constraints.
Most locations in Sudan were accessible only by human tracks, with just 2,000 km of tarmac roads. With the rainy season from May to November turning roads into mud tracks, Tristar moved its operations to the river. The group built a supply chain around barge movements to supply fuel where it was needed. These same barges were later used to transport internally displaced persons (IDPs) back to South Sudan after its secession in 2011, effectively saving the lives of 1,000 people.