Jet fuel supply secured for OR Tambo amid crisis

Travelling in and out of OR Tambo International Airport will not be impacted by a lack of jet fuel supply. 

The Department of Transport announced on Sunday that stakeholders and the fuel industry have secured 121.1 million litres of jet fuel to ensure the airport can continue its operations without delays.

The department said that the jet fuel will be a relief to the airport until the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery opens at the end of February 2025.

On Friday the Minister of Transport, Barbara Creecy held an urgent meeting with a number of relevant fuel industry stakeholders to discuss and resolve the jet fuel shortage. 

Stakeholders included Airport Company South Africa (ACSA), the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA) and SASOL. 

The main aim of the meeting was to address the jet fuel shortage at OR Tambo as it could have led to major flight disruptions. 

At the beginning of January, ACSA said it was able to ensure continued fuel supply for the month, following a fire at NATREF. 

OR Tambo utilises about 3.6 million litres of jet fuel a day and the fire on January 4, 2025, caused a major issue in the supply chain.

A number of airlines had to make alternative arrangements to secure fuel at Windhoek, King Shaka Airport and other destinations. 

ACSA was able to import the additional jet fuel through the Port of Durban via three vessels. 

“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.

“Parties agreed it is necessary to build a fuel reserve to serve as a critical safety buffer for unforeseen circumstances such as delays, diversions or unexpected changes in flight conditions,” the department added. 

Minister Creecy said that she wanted to thank passengers, businesses and stakeholders for their patience during this period of “unforeseen difficulty” and apologised for the inconvenience caused.

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