The Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) is implementing several emergency measures to secure a sustainable supply of jet fuel at the OR Tambo International Airport (ORTIA), in Johannesburg, and to prevent airlines from having to cancel flights because of not being able to get fuel from their regular suppliers.

Fuel supplies at ORTIA are impacted as a result of damage to Transnet Freight Rail’s (TFR’s) rail infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal after a destructive storm on April 11 resulted in widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure.

This has resulted in some fuel suppliers enforcing force majeure on fuel supply contracts. However, not all airlines use the same fuel suppliers.

ACSA, on May 9, met with executives from TFR, the Central Energy Fund (CEF), the South African Petroleum Industry Association, the Board of Airline Representatives and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy to develop a plan to mitigate jet fuel shortages.

ACSA CEO Mpumi Mpofu told media afterward that jet fuel supply to ORTIA was stable, with about three-and-a-half days worth of fuel currently available at the airport.

“Comfortable” stock holding of jet fuel at ORTIA is about five days’ supply, she pointed out.

Mpofu explained that while there was a jet fuel supply and demand “mismatch” at ORTIA, the issue was small and confined to only some fuel suppliers, consequently impacting only two airlines.

ORTIA was able to continue jet fuel supply to 40 other international airlines during the time of disruption.

In this regard, an international airline cancelled 14 flights between April 24 to May 1 – a situation in which 3 150 passengers were impacted. Another international airline cancelled a single flight on April 24, affecting less than 100 passengers.

To address the situation, she said a shipment of 20-million litres of fuel landed in the Port of Durban would be pumped to the refinery of the National Petroleum Refiners of South Africa at about 19.00 on May 9, after which it would be piped to ORTIA.

In addition, ACSA, together with the CEF, has developed a framework to provide as much as 1.5-million litres of jet fuel to airlines that have been impacted by force majeures being enforced by their suppliers.

A possible Plan B will see the CEF issue directives to airlines for a jet fuel swap.

Meanwhile, ACSA said TFR had informed it that rail infrastructure between Durban and Johannesburg would return to 50% of its capacity by June 9, with 100% set to be restored by the end of October.