A cargo ship has halted its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion at the ports. The local shipping agent for Capitaine Tasman announced that the vessel would not be able to dock in Suva because there was insufficient berthing space available.
According to the Ports Authority, the vessel arrived a day late, which led to the complications. Fiji Ports Terminal operations manager Shone Pereira explained that the ship could not dock on September 21 as it arrived late and other vessels were occupying both the North and South berths.
For export businesses like Performance Flotation Development, this setback, which is not the first in recent months, has been met with frustration. The textile manufacturer reported that all inbound goods would now be dropped off at Lautoka port and subsequently transferred to another ship, Capitaine Magellan, for delivery to Suva.
Mike Towler, managing director of Performance Flotation Development, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation at the wharf, stating, “This is the sort of situation we have to endure with Fiji Ports. It’s unacceptable.”
Performance Flotation Development is the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere. The shipping agent, Shipping Services Fiji Limited, noted that the Capitaine Tasman had skipped Suva on its journey due to the lack of available berthing space, yard congestion, and slow vessel operations. All inbound cargo will be discharged in Lautoka and moved to Capitaine Magellan for transport to Suva.