Vitol Aviation
Vitol Aviation is a leading provider of jet fuel worldwide. We supply 9 million tonnes of jet fuel a year into wing, at over 140 airports across the globe.
We are focused on Eurasia, North America, Africa and Australia, handling over 18 million tonnes of jet fuel each year. We supply the industry’s leading brands, from oil majors and national oil companies to the world’s largest airlines and military customers, as well as our own aviation division.
Our proposition is founded on a commitment to delivering value to the end user and ensuring product quality. We are an active member of global jet fuel product quality and handling forums. As the world’s largest handler of arbitrage jet fuel, we have unrivalled expertise in the management of the global jet fuel supply chains and invest heavily in training, testing and infrastructure to ensure product quality and integrity.
As a major supplier of jet fuel, we understand the crucial importance of product quality and handling. Global supply chains are being extended to include mega refining complexes, typically in the Middle East and Asia, which now serve a large part of the mature markets in North America and Europe. The associated challenges are becoming commensurately technical and challenging.
Vitol Aviation has the knowledge base and infrastructure to ensure we handle and deliver timely, on spec products, across these increasingly complex supply chains. Furthermore, we ensure robustness of supply, through an extensive and diverse global network of jet fuel supply points, which include Vitol’s own refining capability, term supply contracts and spot avails.
The consistent investment of Vitol in our refining, shipping, storage and jet handling facilities, as well as training and testing regimes, ensures our customers and partners benefit from our commitment to efficiently deliver the highest quality products.
Logistical capabilities
Over 14 million tonnes of jet fuel handled each year
Vitol has been trading jet fuel for over 30 years. As the world’s largest independent trader of energy products, it has established a unique supply infrastructure, from exploration, to refining, storage and shipping, which enables Vitol to respond swiftly and efficiently to market imbalances, and to bring value to the end user.
Logistics are at the core of our business. The strength and depth of our logistical capabilities enables us to manage external factors that may impact continuity of supply, from refinery outages to geo-political issues.
Supplying the seventh continent
In December 2016 Vitol was appointed to supply jet fuel in the Antarctic. The challenging yet fragile environment of the region requires the highest standards in product quality, handling, engineering and logistical expertise. Temperatures can fall below -47°C (the maximum of the Defstan jet fuel spec) and both the fuel and infrastructure have to be able to withstand extreme conditions.
Journey to Antarctica
Vitol Aviation jet fuel was shipped in custom built containers from Cape Town to Antarctica where our team of experts, having earlier crossed the 650km Fimbul Ice Shelf, unloaded and transported the containers some 1,500km by snow cat. Once unloaded the containers were transferred to the newly constructed White Fang Runway (WFR) where jet fuel is held for commercial operations as well as for use in scientific projects and as emergency reserves. The environmental management and crucial fuel quality responsibilities remain under Vitol Aviation’s constant supervision and management.