All fuel is imported from Australia, NZ, Korea, Singapore or elsewhere depending on the best market price that can be obtained by the private sector importers, TOA, Pacific Energy and Triad Petroleum. All 3 have their own fuel farms. Supply is regular; tanker vessels arrive usually every 20 days. There are no set reserve stocks maintained as companies look to control cash flow and reserve stock may get as low as 2 days before resupply.

TOA PETROLEUM has a total fuel storage capacity of approximately 1.4 million litres (10 tanks) plus portable ISO tanks but does not fully utilise this capacity. It restocks monthly to 200,000 L petrol and 100,000 L of diesel per month. It has a fleet of tanker trucks and trailers for distribution (1 x 4,000, 1 x 9,000, 1 x 16,000, 2 x 20,000) used to deliver to retail outlets.

 

PACIFIC ISLANDS ENERGY PTE Ltd supplies Jet A-1 to domestic and International airlines. It has storage capacity of 2.6 mil litres of Jet A-1 plus portable ISO tanks. It uses a 20,000L tanker truck for delivery to domestic airlines; fuel for International refuelling is pumped direct from its storage facility by underground pipe to the tarmac.

Pacific Energy also supplies 700,000 L of diesel/month to TAU for electricity generation.

TRIAD PACIFIC PETROLEUM has storage capacity of 1.4 mil litres (stocking 400,000L of diesel, 300,000L of petrol) plus portable ISO tanks and distributes it to private retail outlets using 1x 4,000L and 2 x 20,000L tanker trucks

There are 28 retail fuel outlets on Rarotonga and a further 11 on the Outer Islands. 

While there is strict quality control at source (originating refineries) only Jet A-1 is further tested to international specifications after transit shipping to the Cook Islands. While there have been no issues with fuel quality in the country for some time, there are plans to tighten this aspect of supply in future.

It should be noted that all 3 companies’ fuel farms are situated in a coastal location that is considered risk vulnerable to cyclone or tsunami damage.

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 

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

Fuel Pricing

A national body, The Price Tribunal, sets fuel prices. This committee is made up of people from the Government and Private Sector. It convenes 2 monthly to set the wholesale and retail fuel prices for the Cook Islands based on the current purchase market after factoring in the costs of transportation and a margin for the importers. Prices are also set for the outer islands, paying regard to the additional shipping costs faced by the distributors and the retail price can be up to 125% higher in the distant Northern Group of islands relative to Rarotonga as a result  (see Annex 5.4 Fuel Price Tribunal).

 

Seasonal Variations 

There are no season variations to price or availability.

Fuel Transportation

Fuel is pumped underground from the wharf direct to the fuel farms. The 3 fuel import companies have tanker trucks for further distribution.  ISO tanks are used for transportation to the outer islands.

Standards, Quality and Testing

INTAFF carries out monthly audits and checks of local retail and distribution activity to ensure standards however this is not a technical standards test.

 

 

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Although there are a few single vehicle transport operators, one major company dominate the road transport market. Cook Islands General Transport Ltd (CIGT). The relatively small size of the market and expense of importing heavy transport equipment to the islands serves to discourage other small operators from entering. The current capacity of equipment is sufficient to serve domestic requirements and would be sufficient to meet a modest surge demand given the country’s small scale. Generally the equipment on hand is modern and well maintained. There is very little impact from unions in the country; the overriding impediment to foreign operators arriving is geographical isolation.  

The outer Islands have sufficient transport options, small trucks and the Island Councils’ heavy machinery, to meet their domestic requirements.

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Transporter Contact List

 

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.

Unions are not strong in the country however the Employment Relations Act 2012 sets out very clearly the requirements of employers in the Cook Islands. The unskilled sector has a high dependence on immigrant labour from Fiji, the Philippines and Indonesia (of the estimated 14,000 population on Rarotonga around 3,000 are foreign workers) who tend to stay for only a short time. In the skilled sector workers from NZ also tend only to work 2 or 3 year contracts before leaving.

As a result there is a shortage of labour in all sectors.

Like most countries and territories in Oceania, telecommunications is limited by its isolation and low population,with only one major television broadcasting station and six radio stations, one reaching all islands

However, most residents have a main line or mobile phone. Telecommunications are mainly provided by Blue Sky Cook Islands, 

Teleraro Limited, a consortium, led by the Bluesky Group, purchased a 60% interest in Telecom Cook Islands Limited from Spark New Zealand in February 2015. The consortium includes a Trust which holds 10% of the Teleraro shares on behalf of participating employees in the Cook Islands. It also includes a Trust to hold 15% of the shares of Teleraro for Cook Islanders to purchase.   

Bluesky's product range offers core telecommunication services of fixed-line, mobile, internet  products for the home and individual users as well as to corporate clients (PABX, dedicated lines), international and national (long distance) calling services, prepaid calling cards, wifi/hotspots, e-charges services, mobile products and accessories.

Although Bluesky currently has a monopoly, Government proposes to open the market to competition. There are no restrictions to obtaining local SIM cards and mobile numbers. All that is required is identification. A range of data plans is readily available 7 days a week.

For more information on telecoms contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List

 

 

Telecommunication Regulation

Currently Blue Sky Cook Islands is the sole telecommunications service provider. But Government is proposing to open up the market to competition later in 2018.

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

There are no specific humanitarian telecommunications systems. UN agencies do not have a permanent presence in the Cook Islands. Other Agencies (Red Cross) use the public network and although they have VSAT telephones, they are not permanently activated due to the on going monthly cost of maintaining a connection.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

 There is a single ISP, Blue Sky, that organisations contract through; businesses connect using either copper lines or fibre cable.

 

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs)

Blue Sky is the sole provider of mobile network.  Government owns 40% and shareholders 60%. It has a physical precence in all 11 of the populated islands.Connectivity is currently via sattelite however there are plans to connect to the Manatua submarine cable. Currently Rarotonga and Atutaki, have 4G coverage, the outer islands have GSM and data through wireless hotspots.  The network is reliable and has approximately 90% national coverage.

For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website. 

Rarotonga has a largely tourism-based economy and as a result is well served by restaurants, supermarkets and convenience stores supplying foodstuffs commonly seen in NZ and Australia. Regular international flights and shipping mean stocks are maintained. Local demand is well served and supplies could be scaled up to meet demand provided transport services are maintained. There is no local manufacturing however the country is virtually self-sufficient in meat, fish, poultry, and vegetable requirements.  

Outer islands produce root vegetables and have plentiful fish supplies but import a variety of other vegetables, meat and pre-prepared foods via Rarotonga.

Fish products are the main export (60%). Imports are led by recreational boats (18%) and refined petroleum (13%)

All other NFI supplies that an organisation arriving in the Cook Islands might require are readily available. There are several large hardware supply stores affiliated to international retailers that provide any and all items that would be expected available for procurement in Australia or NZ and resupply time from these countries is around 14 days. Prices are competitive.

 

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following sources:

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): https://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/profile/country/cok/

 

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.

Overview

Service providers are almost exclusively based on the main island of Rarotonga. The outer Islands have basic health and telecommunications providers but little more. Due to the country’s relatively small commercial population there are not always multiple providers however most services an agency might require are available in the main centre of Avaru., As a result of catering to the large numbers of international tourists that visit the country and its close association with NZ, the quality of available services is good and up-to-date.

For more information on company contact details, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List 

Accommodation

There is an abundance of accommodation options on the main Island of Rarotonga ranging from high-end resorts to bungalow Air BnB’s. Standards are high and security is not a problem. Of the outer islands, only Aitutaki has many motels and several larger resorts, generally as any of the outer islands’ resident population decreases, so do the corresponding accommodation options, however all islands have sufficient vacant private houses and large community halls to support a short-term influx of demand.

 

Electricity and Power

Voltage is 240V

On the main island of Rarotonga electricity is generated, distributed and retailed by Te Aponga Uira (TAU) a State owned Enerprise (SOE) The power utility provides 90% of Rarotonga’s electricity demand. All households on Rarotonga have access to the grid. Its goal is the conversion to renewably sourced (solar) electricity by 2020.

With 5 diesel generators @ 1.6Mw per engine the grid can produce a total 8Mw if needed. At present average daily fuel usage is 20,000L and 1.5 months of fuel stocks are kept in reserve.Current local peak demand is 5 Mw/ Daily. Additionally (at peak) there is a 4.1Mw Photo Voltaic (PV) system located at Rarotonga Airport plus privately owned generators.

Outages are not common, at most two a year, due to an engine fault or an HV cable fault. Once the cause of the outage is discovered it takes about 2-3 hours to get all households back on line. 

There are plans to get distribution lines underground, particularly to safeguard the assets during cyclones, however due to the high cost involved there is no timeline set for this.

The Outer Islands will all be self reliant on solar power to every household by the end of 2019. This project was donor funded under administrative guidence of The Office Of The Prime Minister. Once completed the generation equipment and distribution infrastructure is the property and responsibility of the individual Governing Island Councils. Conversion of distribution lines to underground is ongoing. The existing diesel generators are being kept and maintained by the Island Councils’ as back up.

Energy is currently the only infrastructure sub-sector with a regulating commissioner overseeing the performance of the service provider.

Financial Service Providers

The Cook Islands are well served by mainstream financial services, banks, accountants and insurance companies. An organisation can expect to find all economic services they may require.

ANZ Bank

ANZ Bank is an international banking institution established in Cook Islands since 1988, represented by two branches in Rarotonga and Aitutaki, 6 ATMs, four outer island agencies, and an extensive EFTPOS network. Their staff are bilingual and trained to assist both local and foreign customers with a wide range of personal and commercial banking and investment requirements.

As well as providing a range of financial services, ANZ Cook Islands is able to provide advice on investment opportunities, handle trade inquiries and assist in introductions on behalf of customers interested in doing business in the Cook Islands.

 

Bank of the South Pacific

Bank Of The South Pacific (BSB) initially commenced trading as a branch of the National Bank of Australasia Limited Port Moresby, in 1957; through acquisitions of branches of other banks (Wespac and others) it is now represented in Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa.

 

 

Bank of the Cook Islands

Bank of The Cook Islands (BCI) is a State Owned Enterprise established in 2001. It has the largest branch-banking network in the Cook Islands (7 branches including the Head Office in Avarua).

 

 

 

Clearing and Forwarding Agents

There are a number of experienced and efficient clearing and forwarding agents available in Rarotonga. They are generally reliable and are located in Avarua, adjacent to the port area.

Handling Equipment

There is sufficient supply of handling equipment available to cope with current demand and a surge demand if required. There is equipment owned by the Port’s Authority (Government Agency) that is kept at the port and additionally there are private contractors that would lease or hire equipment as necessary to assist with an organisations needs. There is a reasonable supply of good quality pallets available and more could be accessed from cargo vessels if required.

On the Outer Islands the Island Councils’ all have some construction equipment that can be used for lifting and transporting cargo.

Postal and Courier Services

International courier companies including DHL and FEDX are available on Rarotonga. Their services are reliable and operate to international standards.

Cook Islands Post operates mail and parcel delivery service in the Cook Islands delivering to communities and businesses. Services include express mail service (New Zealand only), flypost (placing flyers in the post boxes), permit post service (franking service), assurance service (registered mail) and postal boxes. Bluesky, a State Owned Enterprise (SOE) is the agency that handles collection and distribution services.

On the Outer Islands, Bluesky offices on each island handle the collection and distribution of mail for their respective islands and forward or receive the mail from Cook Islands Post. The Ministry Of Finance and Economic Management and Office Of the Prime Minister have a joint responsibility for oversight of this sector (Telecommunications, Communications).

Further information on postage rates, postal services and deposit locations can be found at: http://www.telecom.co.ck/content/page/cook-islands-post/m/122/

See also Annex 5.7 Cook Islands Postal Costs

Printing and Publishing

There are a number of printing and publishing companies on Rarotonga that are all capable of producing quality work using the latest technologies. They are all readily available and located in the main centre of Avarua.

Taxi Companies

There are a number of taxi companies operating on Rarotonga; most have only 1 or 2 vehicles. There is a bus service run by a private company that leaves every hour and half-hour to circumnavigate the island. Speed limit on the island is 40km/hour, which keeps road travel generally safe.

Vehicle Rental

There is an abundance of rental vehicles available and an organisation should expect to be able to satisfy their requirements given there is likely to be very little demand from tourists in the aftermath of a disaster occurring in the region.

Waste Management and Disposal Services

Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) oversees waste management and disposal. Collection of kerbside waste is tendered to private contractors. This service is free of charge to domestic dwellings. Commercial activities are required to pay for collection. Initial sorting for recycling is carried out kerbside and further sorting at the landfill site. The landfill is close to capacity so further sorting is occurring at the landfill into waste that can be incinerated while other waste is re-compacted to prolong the life of the facility. Further excavation will be required in the future.

Outer Islands’ waste management is the responsibility of the individual Island Councils. Apart from Aitutaki where there is a more comprehensive management program, all waste goes to landfill with little or no sorting. Most of these councils are reviewing their policies on this and working toward educating the local inhabitants on waste minimisation strategies.

Waste Disposal Non-Hazardous

As above. Non-hazardous waste is disposed of either by incineration if practical or otherwise to landfill.

Waste Disposal Hazardous

The private contractor who manages the recycling operation also collects hazardous waste (such as e-waste) and it is transported in shipping containers out of the country. Waste oil is stored in barrels then also shipped off the island. All sewerage on the main island of Rarotonga is collected in septic tanks, which are then emptied and transported by tanker to settling and sedimentation ponds managed by ICI. Grey water from the ponds goes to surface as irrigation. De-watered sludge eventually goes to landfill. On the smaller, less populous outer islands, septic waste goes to drainage pits.

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.