South Africa Averts Airport Crisis with Emergency Jet Fuel Import Extension
South Africa has narrowly avoided a potential aviation disaster after tax authorities granted a crucial year-long extension for special jet fuel import licenses, ensuring continued operations at the country’s major airports including Africa’s busiest passenger hub.
The Fuels Industry Association of South Africa welcomed the lifeline from the South African Revenue Service, extending special storage warehouse licenses until October 31, 2026. The arrangement allows continued imports of aviation kerosene to be stored in licensed tanks and pumped through the multi-product pipeline supplying O.R. Tambo International Airport, which handles millions of passengers annually.
The extension addresses South Africa’s growing fuel security crisis after the country lost approximately half its refinery capacity over the past five years, severely curtailing jet fuel provision to airports. The situation reached critical levels in January when a fire at the Natref refinery forced emergency government intervention to secure 121 million litres of jet fuel for O.R. Tambo airport operations.
FIASA emphasized the extension as “a critical intervention in safeguarding South Africa’s security of supply, particularly for the aviation sector and communities that rely on illuminating kerosene.” The licenses also cover importation and storage of household cooking kerosene, highlighting the broader impact on South African communities beyond the aviation industry.
Source: reuters.com
