Thandoluhle Ngcobo26 January 2025 | 13:59

Fuel industry secured 121m litres of jet fuel to address ORTIA shortage - Transport Dept

The national Transport Department has announced that the fuel industry has secured 121 million liters of jet fuel to address the shortage at OR Tambo International Airport.

Fuel industry secured 121m litres of jet fuel to address ORTIA shortage - Transport Dept

Picture: Pexels.com

JOHANNESBURG - The national Transport Department has announced that the fuel industry has secured 121 million liters of jet fuel to address the shortage at OR Tambo International Airport.

This follows last week’s urgent meeting between Transport Minister Barbara Creecy, ACSA, the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa, and SASOL to find a solution to the crisis caused by a fire at the Natref refinery earlier in January.

The incident led to a severe fuel shortage, forcing airlines to make alternative arrangements for fuel at other destinations.

According to a statement from the department, the fuel will be imported through the port of Durban via three vessels, expected to arrive in February.

The department also announced that stakeholders will collaborate on a logistics plan to ensure the imported fuel supply reaches OR Tambo International Airport in time for the airlines' needs.

Department spokesperson, Collen Msibi: "On Monday last, week the fuels industry indicated to ACSA that it has secured 50 million litres of jet fuel from various suppliers and on Friday and additional 71.1 million litres were secured, which brings the total to 121.1 million litres of jet fuel for OR Tambo. An update of these logistics plan will be presented to the minister on Friday the 31st of January 2025."