A cargo ship has halted its journey to the capital due to reported congestion issues. The local shipping agent for the Capitaine Tasman announced that the vessel would not be able to dock in Suva due to insufficient berthing space. Late last night, the Ports Authority indicated that the ship arrived a day late.
Fiji Ports Terminal’s operations manager, Shone Pereira, explained, “There was no berth available on 21 September since the vessel arrived late and other ships were occupying the North and South berths.” This delay is not the first for export operators like Performance Flotation Development, which often respond to such setbacks with frustration.
The Nabua-based textile manufacturer has stated that all inbound goods will now be offloaded at Lautoka port and transferred to another vessel, Capitaine Magellan, for transport to Suva. Managing Director Mike Towler expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation at the wharf, stating, “This is the sort of situation we must endure with Fiji Ports. It’s a joke.”
Performance Flotation Development is noted as the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere. The local agent, Shipping Services Fiji Limited, confirmed that Capitaine Tasman skipped Suva due to unavailability of berthing space, yard congestion, and slow vessel operations. All inbound cargo will be discharged in Lautoka and then moved to Capitaine Magellan for Suva.