Transnet averts jet fuel crisis at OR Tambo, but no clear skies ahead just yet

Transnet’s emergency jet fuel supply plan has ostensibly averted a crisis at the OR Tambo international airport, but aviation experts believe the supply will remain unstable for at least another month.

The damage to Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) rail infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal following the destructive storms and resultant floods has impacted jet fuel supplies to the country’s largest airport.

Airlines were reportedly spending a whopping R1.5 million to divert each flight either to Durban or as far as Namibia for refuelling due to shortage of jet fuel at one of the busiest airports in Africa.

Thousands affected

This situation also saw major international airlines cancelling flights and affecting thousands of passengers.

“The fuel deliveries will remain unstable for at least another month. Meanwhile, our good name as a country that knows how to run complex systems has been damaged – possibly for good,” aviation expert Desmond Latham said.

He said the situation has stabilised, but only because airlines have taken action to secure delivery of jet fuel and made significant changes to operations.

Transnet was in a critically weak condition prior to the floods, Latham said, and that this pushed the state-owned enterprise over the edge.

“The state entities are crisis-managing everything, which is not a sustainable situation and President [Cyril Ramaphosa] Ramaphosa has mentioned this recently with the emergency response failure in KwaZulu-Natal,” he said.

Latham explained that the delivery of fuel for commercial aviation was done by rail and not the multi-product pipeline (MPP) from Durban, which runs alongside the N3 highway.

According to Latham, because SA’s rail infrastructure was collapsing, this had an implication for fuel delivery and possibly other commodities.

Airlines that suffered initially were Lufthansa and Swissair. We have also seen flights in the past month such as Virgin and Qantas, Singapore Airlines, and Seychelles Airlines, flying to Durban to refuel before heading out of SA.

“Airlines have changed the type of aircraft they’re using in some cases, while in others they’ve had to rotate crew between Durban and OR Tambo just to refuel planes,” he said.

Emergency response

Transnet spokesperson Ayanda Shezi has said in a statement that Transnet was increasing supply of jet fuel through the National Multi-Product Pipeline from Durban to the inland, as repairs to the railway line get underway.

Transnet Pipeline (TPL) is currently transporting 14 million litres of jet fuel between National Petroleum Refiners of SA (Natref) and OR Tambo International Airport per week.

A total of 20 million litres of imported jet fuel has been injected into the pipeline in Durban to supplement weekly supply, and is expected to reach Natref on Wednesday.

Whilst the rail infrastructure in KwaZulu-Natal was being repaired, TFR has activated rail services with the loading of jet fuel at Matola in neighbouring Mozambique, and supplying approximately 1 million litres to OR Tambo International.

Transnet said the airport’s current jet fuel volume is 17.8 million litres, with an expected consumption of 2.6 million litres per day, and that jet fuel stockpiles at OR Tambo International were currently at 5.1 days, which was within the target of five to seven days.

Natref will store this jet fuel in their tanks and thereafter supplement the average weekly supply with an additional 5-million litres per week for the next four weeks, via the dedicated jet fuel pipeline to OR Tambo International.

“Transnet Pipelines is also reviewing medium and long term solutions to ensure security of supply via the pipeline from Durban to OR Tambo. The single rail line operation between Durban and Gauteng is expected to be restored by 9 June… with the double line operation to be fully restored by 30 September 2022,” Shezi said.

He said weekly OR Tambo International jet fuel management meetings are being held with all the stakeholders including Transnet, to ensure that the security of supply risk was mitigated.

Aviation expert Phuthego Mojapele agreed that jet fuel was no longer an issue at the OR Tambo International but said they were not sure for how long.

“It is a step in a right direction, and the fact that the industry role players came together urgently to come up with a mitigating plan is no insignificant feat. It demonstrates the level of response. It is worth noting that there is enough fuel, the problem is moving it from Durban to inland,” he said.

According to Transnet, the current situation was likely to be fully resolved by end of October, when both rail lines from Durban will be operational, while at least 50% of the rail line will be restored and repaired by 9 June.

• siphom@citizen.co.za