Jet Fuel Secured For OR Tambo Airport Until February 2025

The Department of Transport announced that the fuel industry and its partners have secured 121.1 million liters of jet fuel for OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA). This supply will last until the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery opens at the end of February 2025.

The announcement comes on Sunday after an urgent meeting held by Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy last Friday with key fuel industry stakeholders to address jet fuel shortages, SA News reported.

Representatives from Airport Company South Africa (ACSA), the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA), and SASOL attended the meeting.

The purpose of the meeting was to address the jet fuel shortages that were at risk of disrupting flights at OR Tambo International Airport in February 2025. The fuel shortage was caused by the shutdown of the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) after a fire on Jan. 4.

As a result, some airlines had to find alternative fuel sources at places like Windhoek, King Shaka Airport, and other locations, causing inconvenience for passengers and crew.

The fuel industry told ACSA on Jan. 20 that it had secured 50 million liters of jet fuel from different suppliers. By Jan. 24, an additional 71.1 million liters were secured, bringing the total to 121.1 million liters for OR Tambo.

This fuel will be imported through the Port of Durban via three vessels, expected to arrive on Feb. 1 and Feb. 10.

"The meeting agreed that all parties will work on a logistics plan to ensure the imported fuel supply moves from the Port of Durban to OR Tambo in time for airline needs," the Department of Transport said in a statement.

An update on these logistics plans will be presented to the minister this Friday. The parties involved agreed that it is important to create a fuel reserve as a safety measure for unexpected situations, such as delays, diversions, or changes in flight conditions.

In this regard, ACSA will work with the Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources and its related agencies. The minister thanked passengers, businesses, and stakeholders for their patience during this challenging time and apologized for the inconvenience caused.