A cargo vessel has halted its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion. The local shipping agent for the Capitaine Tasman has confirmed that the vessel will not dock in Suva because there is no available berthing space. Late yesterday, the Ports Authority reported that the vessel arrived a day late.
Fiji Ports Terminal manager operations, Shone Pereira, explained, “There was no berth available on September 21 since the vessel arrived late and other vessels occupied both the North and South berths.” This disruption has frustrated export operators like Performance Flotation Development, which has experienced similar issues frequently in recent months.
An official from the Nabua-based textile manufacturer stated that all incoming goods will now be offloaded at Lautoka port and transferred to another ship, Capitaine Magellan, for delivery to Suva. Performance Flotation Development’s managing director, Mike Towler, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating, “This is the sort of situation we must endure with Fiji Ports. It’s unacceptable.”
Performance Flotation Development is recognized as the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere. The local agent, Shipping Services Fiji Limited, indicated that Capitaine Tasman skipped Suva due to unavailable berthing, yard congestion, and slow operations. They added, “All our inbound cargo will be discharged in Lautoka and transferred to Capitaine Magellan for Suva.”