Vitol to Invest $130 Million to Boost South African Storage Capacity in Durban
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Vivo Energy, a subsidiary of global trader Vitol, is investing around $130 million to expand its fuel storage capacity in South Africa’s port city of Durban, chief executive George Roberts said on Tuesday. The project was planned before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran rattled global energy markets, but Roberts said it could help South Africa better withstand future supply crises.
The company is adding about 125,000 cubic metres of storage in Durban, taking total capacity in the area to 500,000 cubic metres. The new capacity is expected to come on stream from the third quarter of 2026 through the third quarter of 2027 and will be created by converting old refinery tanks and upgrading a receiving facility at Island View.
Roberts said the extra storage would allow South Africa to build higher stock levels and buy more time to source product elsewhere if supply routes are disrupted again. He said shipping fuel to South Africa can take 20 to 25 days, depending on the origin, making local buffer capacity especially important for an import-dependent market.
Vivo Energy is also investing in LPG and refined petroleum storage in Ivory Coast, Senegal and Morocco, while looking at further opportunities in Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique. The company said South Africa and other southern and eastern African countries remain vulnerable to Middle East supply shocks because of limited infrastructure and storage.
