AS Guyana’s oil and gas industry continues its rapid expansion, homegrown logistics giant, John Fernandes Limited (JFL), is positioning itself deeper within the sector’s value chain through partnerships, specialised services and major infrastructural investments aimed at supporting offshore operations and broader economic development.
Business Development and Project Coordinator at JFL, Jonathon Fernandes, recently reflected on the company’s journey into the energy sector, noting that its involvement dates back to the earliest stages of Guyana’s petroleum development.
Speaking on a recent episode of The Take on Fueled, Fernandes explained that JFL first became involved in the industry through its commercial port operations when ExxonMobil commenced activities in Guyana.
He explained that when ExxonMobil first came to Guyana, the compnay handled them through their commercial port.
That early involvement provided the company with valuable insight into the industry’s needs and helped shape its strategy to diversify beyond traditional shipping and logistics services.
Over the last 12 to 15 years, JFL has established a network of strategic partnerships designed to support offshore operations and strengthen local participation in the energy sector.
“We have a logistics partnership, we’re into CCUs, which is a specialty box that’s a rental company. We provide a lot of sandblasting and painting, we have outrigging shops, so a lot of DNV-certified gears specifically for the oil and gas industry,” Fernandes said.
Today, JFL provides a broad suite of oil and gas support services through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Fernandes Energy Inc. (FEI), including shore-base operations, laydown yards, certified labour, specialised equipment, freight management and logistics support.
The company has also expanded through several strategic partnerships, including G Port Inc., a collaboration with international marine transportation provider Edison Chouest Offshore, which operates specialised shore-base facilities serving Guyana’s offshore petroleum sector.
JFL is also partnered with Rig Bound Trinidad through Rig Bound (Guyana) Inc., which supplies Cargo Carrying Units (CCUs) and specialised offshore containers critical to offshore logistics and supply-chain operations. Through TLC Guyana Inc., the company also provides freight forwarding and customs management services.
These capabilities have enabled JFL to support major energy companies operating in Guyana, including ExxonMobil, Halliburton, Baker Hughes, Saipem and Schlumberger.
The company’s growth has accelerated following the introduction of Guyana’s Local Content Act in 2021. JFL is an approved Local Content Certificate holder and has been among the local companies expanding their participation in the oil and gas supply chain under the legislation.
The law establishes 40 categories of goods and services reserved for Guyanese participation and encourages partnerships between local and international firms. Under the framework, foreign companies can collaborate with Guyanese businesses that maintain at least 51 per cent beneficial ownership, allowing local firms to access procurement opportunities and compete for contracts across a range of sectors.
JFL’s expansion strategy is also extending beyond oilfield support services and into large-scale infrastructural development.
Through Cranes Guyana Inc., a joint venture between John Fernandes Limited and Muneshwers Limited, the two Guyanese companies are investing more than US$285 million in the development of a modern deep-water port facility in Berbice.
The project is expected to become one of the most significant trade and logistics infrastructural investments in Guyana’s history, positioning the country to support growing offshore activity while enhancing regional trade and cargo handling capacity.
The investment underscores the evolving role of local companies within Guyana’s energy economy, where businesses are increasingly moving from service providers to infrastructure developers capable of supporting long-term industrial growth.
For Fernandes, however, the industry’s expansion represents more than business growth.
“As a local guy, you just kind of want to see the country progress, right? I mean, when you’re sitting in it every day, driving the streets, you see small progressions like new roads and that kind of stuff, but you don’t actually see it happening right in front of your face, a lot of the growth that is happening right now,” he said.
“It’s nice to sit back every now and again and actually take note of what’s happening around you, because you’re going to wake up in 20 years and you’re not going to realise how much has changed.”
Founded in 1959 by businessman John Fernandes Snr., JFL remains 100 per cent Guyanese-owned and operated, employing more than 600 people across its operations.
Its expansion into oil and gas, combined with investments in strategic infrastructure and specialised services, reflects the broader maturation of Guyana’s private sector as local companies position themselves to capture greater value from one of the world’s fastest-growing petroleum provinces.