The Kiribati Oil Company Limited (KOIL) has said it has plenty of JetA1 fuel but it has not been approved or passed for use by aircraft.
KOIL made the comments regarding the cancellation of Air Kiribati flights.
The company said it is a requirement to have the JetA1 fuel tested and approved for usage soon after it arrived from a tanker for the safety of passengers and airline staff.
A sample of the JetA1 sent for testing in Fiji has confirmed that the fuel has not met the required maximum freezing point of 47 degrees Celsius.
KOIL said it sent two samples to New Zealand for testing for the third time and one to Brisbane last Friday.
A technical assistant from Shell Aviation is currently working with KOIL to deal with the issue and to develop a back-up plan that could be implemented in case the third test fails again and before the arrival of next tanker ship on Thursday.