Despite recent panic and some rationing due to low stocks, Rarotonga petrol stations expect smooth sailing by January 10 when the next fuel shipment arrives. Candice Luke reports.

Petrol stations in Rarotonga are counting down the days until January 10 when the next shipment of petrol arrives to replenish dwindling stocks.

Over the weekend, word spread across the island of low petrol levels, prompting rationing at some stations and complete depletion at others.

TOA Gas owner Brett Potter says they’re out of fuel.

“We know that Triad has adequate stocks. We were unable to purchase any on the last shipment,” Potter told Cook Islands News.

Efforts to get comments from Triad owner Chris Vaile were unsuccessful, but the newspaper understands that they have about 200,000 litres of petrol to last them until the next shipment.

At Wigmores Superstore an attempt to ration supply by placing a $20 maximum spend on petrol was short-lived as they ran dry by Sunday.

Michelle Wigmore says staff have put signs out to advise customers that they have run out of petrol.

At Pandanus petrol station, a customer who wished not to be named said: “I knew about it through word of mouth, but I knew Pandanus would have petrol because they normally ration it out like before.”

“There’s nothing to worry about. We have heaps of stock. Don’t panic,” says Pandanus store clerk John Moscatiles. CANDICE LUKE/ 24010327

Pandanus store clerk John Moscatiles said the station wasn’t busy despite having no limit on customer petrol purchases.

“There’s nothing to worry about. We have heaps of stock. Don’t panic,” he said.

The Triad petrol truck pulled in Wednesday afternoon to replenish the Pandanus reserve bringing the level up to 13,000 litres.

Moscatiles predicted that supply should last up to three days, but “Triad has 200,000 litres so it should last until the next shipment”. 

Rarotonga residents are no strangers to being forced to find alternative modes of transport during shortages, the last complete fuel drought happening in summer last year.

Tara Mitchell is good to go for a week after filling the tank at Pandanus. CANDICE LUKE/ 24010326

Tara Mitchell, 16, from Avatiu was sent by her mum to gas up.

“She told us to go fill up our bikes. This one has been empty for a couple days but I just put $8 in. That should last me about a week.”

However, many tourists experienced the fuel shortage for the first time.

Gillian Tran from Auckland was in Rarotonga for Christmas and the New Year. She hired a car for her weeklong stay and heard about the shortage online.

“I would gladly use the local bus service if I had to, but I knew I could return the vehicle without refilling it for a slightly higher charge if there wasn’t any available by the end of my trip.”

In the same Facebook post, there was a critical water level warning for the island.

“I was more conscious of water usage than petrol. As a visitor, I can still enjoy everything the island has to offer, but a water shortage affects everyone.”

Cook Islands News also contacted Louis Enoka, chairman of Price Tribunal which regulates fuel prices in the Cook Islands, for comments.

Enoka, during the last shortage experienced about a year ago, criticised the current tanktainer model used to bring fuel into the island.

“It’s a loading issue, simple as that. There just isn’t the right amount of supply arriving into the Cook Islands.

“The efficiencies of the current tanktainer model needs to be looked at, because currently it just seems to not be working from a supply perspective.”