Aviation fuel in short supply

ONE of Namibia’s three suppliers of aviation fuel, BP Namibia, has warned of a pending shortage of the high-octane fuel, commonly known as Avgas, used by most small aircraft.

BP Namibia supplies to Eros Airport, while Shell supplies customers at the coast, and Engen services those in Keetmanshoop. Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, BP Namibia’s Corporate Affairs Manager Esther Hoveka said the company had been experiencing supply interruptions to a number of airports in the country for a month now.She attributed the problem to technical problems with the supplying refinery in Durban.She said the shortage would continue until the next shipment, which is expected to arrive in April.The situation, according to BP Namibia, was due to a worldwide shortage of Avgas.It said efforts were being made to procure additional Avgas from foreign markets.In the meantime, BP Namibia has been importing the fuel by road from Cape Town and Botswana.The company is now trucking in 45 000 litres a week.Consumers have to had brace themselves for an increase in the price of aviation fuel.”Due to the high cost of the alternate methods of sourcing Avgas from the region for the short-term arrangements, inevitably, the cost of Avgas fuel will increase.”Hoveka noted that the price, which currently stood at N$5,50 per litre, had already increased by around 10 per cent to recover the additional transport costs.Customers would also be limited to 50 per cent of their normal order to conserve the limited stock.The company admitted that the current measures would help ease the situation, “although it may not fully satisfy the demand of Avgas countrywide”.Hoveka said the company was calling on consumers to use the little stock available more cautiously, adding that no one would be allowed to stockpile drums of Avgas.Tour operators and companies based in Windhoek that own fleets of small aircraft – normally used for tourism, training and sightseeing – admitted that the Avgas shortage was causing logistical problems.Although, all those interviewed said their businesses were still operational, they added that they had been inconvenienced and were forced to scrounge around for fuel from other airports.”It’s not a crisis yet, but a logistical matter.Although we are concerned, we are also positive that things will improve when the refinery plant in Durban is sorted,” said one Avgas consumer, who did not want to be named.Speaking to The Namibian yesterday, BP Namibia’s Corporate Affairs Manager Esther Hoveka said the company had been experiencing supply interruptions to a number of airports in the country for a month now.She attributed the problem to technical problems with the supplying refinery in Durban.She said the shortage would continue until the next shipment, which is expected to arrive in April.The situation, according to BP Namibia, was due to a worldwide shortage of Avgas.It said efforts were being made to procure additional Avgas from foreign markets.In the meantime, BP Namibia has been importing the fuel by road from Cape Town and Botswana.The company is now trucking in 45 000 litres a week.Consumers have to had brace themselves for an increase in the price of aviation fuel.”Due to the high cost of the alternate methods of sourcing Avgas from the region for the short-term arrangements, inevitably, the cost of Avgas fuel will increase.”Hoveka noted that the price, which currently stood at N$5,50 per litre, had already increased by around 10 per cent to recover the additional transport costs.Customers would also be limited to 50 per cent of their normal order to conserve the limited stock.The company admitted that the current measures would help ease the situation, “although it may not fully satisfy the demand of Avgas countrywide”.Hoveka said the company was calling on consumers to use the little stock available more cautiously, adding that no one would be allowed to stockpile drums of Avgas.Tour operators and companies based in Windhoek that own fleets of small aircraft – normally used for tourism, training and sightseeing – admitted that the Avgas shortage was causing logistical problems.Although, all those interviewed said their businesses were still operational, they added that they had been inconvenienced and were forced to scrounge around for fuel from other airports.”It’s not a crisis yet, but a logistical matter.Although we are concerned, we are also positive that things will improve when the refinery plant in Durban is sorted,” said one Avgas consumer, who did not want to be named.