Our Beginnings
West Indies Petroleum Limited (WIP) was registered and incorporated in 2012 and became operational in 2013.
From Humble Beginnings…The Entrepreneurial Journey
Our story began when three visionary Jamaican entrepreneurs – Gordon Shirley, Charles Chambers, and Tarik Felix – saw an opportunity to create a homegrown company that could compete in the international marine fuel market. Our vision was to set up a company, owned by Jamaicans, that would not only enter the space of bunkering, which primarily involves the refuelling of vessels, but also to expand into being regional leaders in the energy industry. We also had our sights set on becoming one of the main suppliers of fuel to several key sectors, including retail fuel sales and distribution for land operations and more.
WIP started out, from humble beginnings, with an old in-shore barge and tugboat, which it won via a bid, and bought from the state-owned oil refinery. The founding shareholders and directors of WIP then entered a contract to refuel a carrier for a regional cruise operating out of Montego Bay, providing heavy fuel oil (HFO) and diesel. This deal would help sustain WIP for the first few years as we explored expansion opportunities.
A Transformative Milestone
Having started with a contract to refuel cruise ships in Montego Bay, WIP quickly established itself as a reliable partner in the maritime industry. Then 2016 marked a turning point in our journey with the acquisition of the South Terminal located on the South Coast at Port Esquivel, St. Catherine. This 640,000-barrel storage facility transformed WIP from a bunkering specialist into a full-service energy company, diversifying into the storage and distribution of fuel and other products across Jamaica and the region. Further expansion followed with additional storage facilities near Falmouth Pier and Kingston Harbour, bringing our total storage capacity to over 700,000 barrels. Storage continues to grow as well as our ability to provide a growing scope of services.
Being Bold
Being Assertive
Timely, Efficient & Effective
Being Forthright
Growth and Impact
With the storage terminal facilities and a growing service fleet, WIP could offer, along with Heavy Fuel Oil and Diesel, other clean products to retail clients across Jamaica with an extensive interwoven trucking system. Independent gas stations serving the retail market across Jamaica became clients, along with the large vessels carrying cargo across the world, and cruise ships calling in at various ports across Jamaica.
WIP’s vision of becoming a major supplier of fuel to various sectors, including gas stations across the country, became a reality. WIP became the third major local importer of fuel and a regional supplier of fuel to territories across the Caribbean and LATAM region such as Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, St. Kitts, and Nicaragua.
Since its inception, WIP has negotiated deals with a number of reputable energy companies around the world to provide a guaranteed product source for all of the company’s operations, including bunkering, onshore retail and commercial fuel sales and bulk regional fuel distribution across the Caribbean and LATAM.
Our Founders are Still at the Helm Today
Charles Chambers is WIP’s Chief Executive Officer, Gordon Shirley – our Board Chairman and Tarik Felix oversees our day-to-day operations. The three co-founders are our primary shareholders, as well as directors of WIP, which currently has five directors. WIP is also the only Jamaican company that does bunkering, and one of few in Latin America and the Caribbean engaged in the activity on a large scale on the international scene.
With storage in excess of 700,000 barrels, West Indies Petroleum boasts the largest fuel bunker capabilities in Jamaica, and the ability to deliver bunker services within Jamaican waters 24 hours a day to all types of vessels by barge at inner anchorage in Kingston Harbour and by truck to all other ports of Jamaica.
WIP Co-Founders (l-r) Tarik Felix, Gordon Shirley and Charles Chambers celebrate the company’s 10th anniversary with SVP Danville Walker (2nd left).
The Future of West Indies Petroleum Ltd.
Fiercely patriotic, WIP is committed to contributing to bettering Jamaica, from exploring and pursuing ideas in collaboration with the Government to find ways of reducing energy costs, to contributing to community, environmental and social projects.