Petroleum (Aviation Fuel) Regulations, 2024

The Minister of Energy and Power Development, after consulting ZERA, has made regulations covering the importation, wholesaling and retailing of aviation fuel — defined as JET A1 and AVGAS — under section 57 of the Petroleum Act [Chapter 13:22].

Anyone wanting to do that business must apply to the Authority and attach their operating certificate from the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe. They may then trade only under a procurement licence granted by the Authority and endorsed 'aviation'. Trading without such a licence is an offence carrying a fine of up to level 9 or up to five years' imprisonment, or both.

Licensees carry a real compliance load. They must keep records of inspections and of purchase and sale transactions — purchase and sale documents, quality certificates, Joint Inspection Group audit reports and CAAZ certificates — for three years, and produce them to the Authority on seven days' notice. They must file a weekly return in the form ZERA specifies, and account monthly for the disposal of their aviation fuel. Fuel must be carried in vehicle units meeting standards ZWS 994 and ZWS 995 for flammable substances. Any major accident or incident involving aviation fuel or facilities must be reported within 48 hours. Failure on any of these carries the same level 9 fine or five years.

ZERA or anyone acting for it may, on sufficient notice during business hours, inspect vehicles and premises and take samples for testing. Resisting or hindering an inspection is itself an offence at the same penalty level.

The level 9 fine amount is on the standard scale and is not printed in the regulations. No commencement date is stated; the regulations were gazetted on 28 June 2024. The running header on the first page misprints the citation as 'S.I. 12 of 2023'.