Lufthansa's Discover Airline Hit by Namibia Jet Fuel Shortage Impacting Europe Flights
Jet Fuel Shortage Disrupts Lufthansa's Discover Airline Operations in Namibia
By Wendell Roelf
Background of the Jet Fuel Shortage
CAPE TOWN, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Lufthansa's Discover Airline said on Thursday that a temporary jet fuel shortage at Namibia's Windhoek airport was disrupting its flights to Europe, blaming operational problems at supplier Vitol rather than shortages because of the Iran war.
Supplier Issues and Quality Concerns
Vivo Energy Namibia, the unit of Vitol contracted to sell fuel products in the Southern African nation, said it was looking at alternative fuel supplies after a shipment of fuel that arrived in Walvis Bay port failed routine quality tests and was removed before circulation.
"Upon identification, the affected product was immediately quarantined and isolated," Vivo Energy Namibia said in a statement.
Investigation and Timeline for Resolution
The company is conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the issue in collaboration with other unidentified parties, and did not provide a timeline for when replenishment supplies would arrive into the country.
Operational Impact on Flights
Earlier, Discover Airline said aircraft operating flights to Frankfurt and Munich from Windhoek were being rerouted via neighbouring Angola to refuel before continuing their journeys.
"Lufthansa Group does currently face a local and temporary shortage in fuel with its suppliers at Windhoek airport," a spokesperson said of the shortages at Hosea Kutako International Airport.
Namibia's Oil and Fuel Supply Context
Namibia, a global oil and gas exploration hot spot which hopes to produce its first oil by 2030, consumes approximately 100 million litres of petrol and diesel each month.
African countries are largely dependent on imported refined products, such as petrol, diesel and jet fuel from the Middle East, but have so far managed to avert any major supply disruption due to the Iran war.
In May, Energy Minister Modestus Amutse granted Vitol a three-month exclusive fuel supply deal to counteract fuel price volatility linked to the Iran war.
Flight Diversions and Schedule Adjustments
A Discover Airline spokesperson said it had to divert one flight on Wednesday to Frankfurt and another on Thursday. Discover has 10 flights per week to Frankfurt and Munich from Windhoek.
Cargo Shipments and Broader Implications
CARGO MAY BE AFFECTED AS TEAMS SCRAMBLE TO SECURE FUEL
The company's fuel procurement and ground staff were looking for solutions to reinstate normal supplies, Discover Airline said in a statement.
Lufthansa said in response to Reuters' questions that cargo shipments may be impacted.
Customer Notifications and Ongoing Restrictions
The official opposition party, Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), said Lufthansa Cargo had notified its customers in writing on August 19 that it could not move cargo from Windhoek due to the shortages.
"The restriction runs to 23 August 2026 and, in the carrier's own words, that date is subject to change," said an IPC statement on Thursday.
Reuters saw a screenshot of the written notice but could not verify its authenticity.
Response from Namibia Airports Company
In a statement on Thursday, the Namibia Airports Company said it was aware of Jet A-1 fuel-supply challenges at the country's main aviation gateway and that efforts were under way to minimise disruptions.
(Reporting by Wendell Roelf in Cape Town and Nyasha Nyaungwa in Windhoek. Additional reporting by Sfundo Parakozov in Johannesburg, Nyasha Nyaungwa in Windhoek and Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt. Writing by Nilutpal Timsina.Editing by Alexander Winning, Elaine Hardcastle and Mark Potter)
