European airports are facing severe shortages of jet fuel in the coming weeks if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened as soon as possible, an industry body has said.
ACI Europe, a trade body representing airports around Europe, has written to EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas expressing “increasing concern” about the shortage of the fuel. It warns that large numbers of flights face cancellation within weeks.
In the letter, ACI called for “proactive EU monitoring and action” to ensure the aviation sector was getting the fuel it needed, which includes identifying alternative import sources.
In recent decades, aviation has become increasingly reliant on the Middle East for its jet fuel supplies due to closures of older refineries in the West and the opening of state-of-the-art ‘mega refineries’ along the strait. In particular, the Al-Zour Refinery in Kuwait has a processing capacity of 615,000 barrels per day and is one of the largest refineries in the world. However, it is...