A cargo ship has suspended its trip to the capital due to congestion issues. The local shipping agent for Capitaine Tasman confirmed that the vessel would not be able to dock in Suva because there was insufficient berthing space. However, Ports authority stated late last night that the vessel arrived a day late.
Fiji Ports Terminal Operations Manager, Shone Pereira, explained that the ship could not find a berth on September 21 because it arrived late, and other vessels were occupying the North and South berths.
For businesses like Performance Flotation Development, this setback is yet another in a series of delays. A representative from the Nabua-based textile manufacturer stated that all inbound goods would be transferred to Lautoka port and then shipped to Suva via another vessel, Capitaine Magellan.
Mike Towler, managing director of Performance Flotation Development, did not hold back his frustrations regarding the situation at the port, describing it as a significant inconvenience.
Shipping Services Fiji Limited also noted that Capitaine Tasman omitted Suva from its journey due to a lack of available berthing, yard congestion, and slow vessel operation. All inbound cargo will be offloaded in Lautoka before being sent to Suva.