A cargo ship has halted its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion at the port. The local shipping agent for the Capitaine Tasman confirmed that the vessel would not be docking in Suva because there was insufficient berthing space.
Late last night, the Ports Authority stated that the ship arrived a day later than scheduled. Fiji Ports Terminal operations manager Shone Pereira explained that there was no available berth on September 21, as the vessel’s delayed arrival coincided with other ships occupying the North and South berths.
The delay has frustrated export operators like Performance Flotation Development, which has faced similar setbacks in recent months. The Nabua-based textile manufacturer indicated that all inbound goods would be offloaded at Lautoka port and then transferred to another vessel, the Capitaine Magellan, to reach Suva.
Mike Towler, managing director of Performance Flotation Development and the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation at the wharf.
“This is the kind of nonsense we have to deal with at Fiji Ports,” Mr. Towler remarked, describing the situation as “a joke.”
Shipping Services Fiji Limited, the local agent, confirmed that the Capitaine Tasman did not call at Suva because of the unavailability of berthing, yard congestion, and slow cargo handling operations. All inbound cargo will now be discharged in Lautoka and transferred to the Capitaine Magellan for delivery to Suva.