ACSA (Airports Company of South Africa) has confirmed that OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA) will maintain its jet fuel supply through at least 20 January 2025, following a fire at the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa (NATREF) refinery on 4 January.
The fire damaged NATREF’s Crude Distillation Unit (CDU), prompting concerns about jet fuel availability at the busy Gauteng airport. ACSA reassured the public that it has secured reserves to ensure a continuous fuel supply for the next eight days.
ACSA is working closely with the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa (FIASA) and NATREF to mitigate the impact of the fire. In a coordinated effort, the industry is taking several measures to maintain the fuel supply at ORTIA. These include scheduled fuel deliveries, starting with a 17,000m³ shipment expected to arrive at the airport by 12 January. Additionally, 31,000m³ of fuel from Durban is set to arrive on 14 January and be delivered to ORTIA by 27 January.
Other measures to safeguard the fuel supply include increased rail deliveries from Durban and Mozambique, as well as sourcing fuel from alternative airports. With NATREF’s CDU expected to be back online by 21 February, these temporary solutions aim to avoid any fuel shortages between 20 and 27 January.
