A cargo ship was forced to halt its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion at the port. The local shipping agent for Capitaine Tasman has confirmed that the vessel will not be able to dock in Suva because there is insufficient berthing space.
Late last night, the Ports Authority stated that the ship had arrived a day late. “There was no berth available on September 21 since the vessel arrived late and other ships were occupying the North and South berths,” said Shone Pereira, the operations manager at Fiji Ports Terminal.
For export companies like Performance Flotation Development, this delay is just one of several issues encountered in recent months, leading to frustration. “All inbound goods will be dropped off at Lautoka Port and then transferred to another ship, Capitaine Magellan, to reach Suva,” the Nabua-based textile manufacturer reported.
Mike Towler, managing director of Performance Flotation Development, expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation at the wharf. “This is the kind of situation we have to put up with at Fiji Ports,” he remarked. “It’s a joke.”
Towler’s company is the largest life jacket manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere. According to local agent Shipping Services Fiji Limited, the Capitaine Tasman avoided Suva on this trip due to a lack of berthing space, yard congestion, and slow vessel operation productivity. “All our inbound cargo will be discharged in Lautoka and transferred to Capitaine Magellan for Suva,” Shipping Services added.