Fuel Overview

Dominica does not have any domestic hydrocarbon resources. The island’s energy supply consists of about 90 percent imported oil products and 10 percent renewables, combustible renewables and waste as well as hydropower. About 70 percent of the country’s electricity is produced from oil products, with the remaining 30 percent coming from hydropower. Generation capacity stood at 22.4 MW, with 16 MW coming from the Fond Cole and Portsmouth diesel plants and 7.6 MW coming from the three hydro power plants Laudat (1.3 MW), Trafalgar (4.46 MW) and Padu (1.88 MW). Electricity prices in Dominica are among the highest in all of the Eastern Caribbean States, varying between 0.26-0.31 US$ per kWh. (Castalia Consulting, 2012; Dominica Electricity Services Ltd, 2012; Organization of American States, 2010).

The vast majority of energy, around 90 per­cent, is imported in the form of oil products. Dominica imports a total of 916 boe/day. About 45 percent of oil products (411 boe/day) are used to generate electricity, with an additional 63 boe/ day coming from hydropower. Losses during generation, distribution, and transmission total 329 boe/day leaving 147 boe/day for final consumption. In total, final consumption of Dominica is 691 boe/day.

The transportation sector consumes more than 40 percent of energy with 271 boe/day, followed by the commercial sector with 196 boe/day, the residential sector with 131 boe/day, the industrial sector with 86 boe/day and other at 9 boe/day.

The Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, Ports and Public Service is responsible for all matters related to the energy sector. It coordinates all activities related to the development and expansion of elec­tricity production and distribution and is responsible for the expansion of renewable energy sources. 

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links:  4.1 Government Contact List and 4.7 Fuel Providers Contact List here.

Information may also be found at: http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/ which is updated monthly. 

Fuel Pricing 

Price controls are regulated by the Supplies Control Act No. 21 of 1979. The Minister in charge of trade is allowed to fix maximum prices for any goods, at wholesale and retail levels. The number of products subject to price controls are 5: gasoline, diesel, kerosene, liquefied petroleum gas, and cement. Prices of petroleum products are adjusted every four weeks on the basis of international prices.

Seasonal Variations  

Fuel Transportation 

Dominica does not have any of its own oil and so has to import all fossil energy. Oil products are used for power generation. Dominica buys all its oil from Venezuela through the PetroCaribe Agreement, which gives it favourable buying terms, such as only paying a limited upfront cost on oil transactions. The PetroCaribe Energy Cooperation Agreement was signed on 29 June 2005 by Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and President Chavez allows for the provision of gasoline, diesel and liquid petroleum gas to Dominica. 

PDV Caribe (Dominica) Ltd. has been a supplier of gasoline and diesel to Dominica for thirteen years and have 71 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Agents around the island. 

Dominica currently has three importers (PDV Caribe Ltd, Rubis West Indies and West Indies Oil Co.) of petroleum products who are the industry wholesalers and retailers, responsible for the importation and supply of the full range of oil and gas used on the island including aviation fuel, LPG and Bunker C. Fuel made available to these suppliers is refined in Trinidad, Curacao, Venezuela, and Panama. MTBE is added to gasoline in a typical ratio of 4 to 5 percent. Sulphur content in diesel may range from 0.1 percent to 0.5 percent while gasoline is usually between 92 to 95 octane. Government currently controls the price at which product is sold on the local market. The importers and retailers operate under fixed pricing schemes which are determined by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Consumer and Diaspora Affairs. The schemes establish wholesale and retail prices under which the importers and retailers must operate and also ensure that local retail prices to the consumer reflect price changes in the international marketplace. 

Internal transportation is carried out by tanker trucks to the different districts.  Constraints to the companies are mainly road conditions i.e road breakage

Standards, Quality and Testing 

Dominica Bureau of Standards (DBOS), established by the Standards Act No. 4 of 1999, is responsible for developing standards and technical regulations.  The DBOS, which has been notified as the national enquiry point for the TBT Agreement.   The DBOS is under the purview of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Marketing and is administered by the National Standards Council appointed by the Minister. 

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

The topography of Dominica presents tremendous challenges to the planning and organization of a transport sector. Nonetheless, Government recognizes the role of transport and logistics in national development. There are approximately 25,000 vehicles in Dominica, not including motor cycles. It is estimated that 10 percent of the market is made up of cars, 20-25 percent are small SUVs and Pick Ups, and the remainder are buses. Sales of new cars average about 300-350 per annum, while about 600 second-hand cars are imported annually. On average these cars are 5-12 years old. Vehicles over 5 years old attract an environmental levy on importation. There are no clear numbers for the split between gasoline and diesel powered vehicles. Local drivers prefer vehicles powered by gas including those used for taxis and public transport vans. In the tourism sector, approximately 70 percent of public taxis are 13-seater mini buses.

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Dominica Transporters Contact Lists4.8 Dominica Transporters Contact Lists

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

According to the World Bank's Enterprise Surveys, Dominica lacks of an adequately trained labour force and has low participation rate of women in the workforce as hindrances not only to business development in the private sector but also to the advancement of the economy as a whole. There are over five trade unions within Dominica, with the major examples being the Dominica Amalgamated Workers’ Union (DAWU), Dominica Trade Union (DTU) and Dominica Waterfront & Allied Workers’ Union (WAWU). There is no Trade Union Congress in the country at present, though there are calls for one to be founded. The Trade Union Act of 1952 is the primary piece of legalisation on trade unions, which provides for the protection, registration and code of ethics of all union organisations. All workers have the legal right to organize, to choose their representatives, and to strike, but unions represent less than 10% of the work force.

Dominica is dependent on importing all vital supplies (food and beverage requirements), it is a net importer of goods and services. Most of the basic food basket products are imported except some fruits and vegetables. The top import origins are the USA, China, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and France. Food and other mass consumer products are retailed by 4 main suppliers, same suppliers provide also construction material, household appliance, and services. Therefore, there is a limited food processing industry in Dominica. Natural disasters have contributed to a reduction in agricultural production and exports. 

For more information on food and additional suppliers contact details, please see the following link: 4.10 Food and Additional Suppliers Contact List

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): (http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/)

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.