Goundar Shipping Limited (GSL) has demanded greater transparency and accountability over the management of Ellington Jetty after releasing an internal email it says shows an agreed berthing schedule that is not being followed — a situation the company says is disrupting passenger services. In a statement, GSL urged the public not to be misled by “inaccurate or unverified information” and called on the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) to explain why the approved schedule is not being enforced.
The email, which GSL says was issued by the acting MSAF chief executive, sets out a tightly timed plan for the vessel Interlink: depart Ellington at 5.00am, arrive at Nabouwalu at 8.00am for a quick turnaround, and depart Nabouwalu by 9.00am for the return. According to the message, Interlink is due back at Ellington at about noon and is to “discharge anchor out” to clear berthing space so Goundar can load for its scheduled afternoon trip.
“Why is the approved schedule not being followed as required?” GSL asked in its release, also questioning why vessels continue to be cleared to sail “despite knowing the likely outcome.” The company said decisions over who is allowed to berth and sail appear to be made without transparency, leaving passengers and operators uncertain and exposing services to avoidable delays.
Ellington Jetty, Suva’s principal ferry terminal on the northern route, is a key node for passenger and cargo movements to northern provinces. GSL says the breakdown in adherence to the agreed schedule has direct operational consequences: when incoming ships do not vacate berths as planned, Goundar’s afternoon sailings cannot load on time, creating cascading delays for travellers and freight.
GSL framed the email as documentary evidence of an MSAF-approved operating plan and has publicly called on the maritime regulator to take responsibility for enforcing the schedule. The company said the public “deserves clear leadership” on the matter and insisted that the authority that approved the schedule must ensure its implementation to avoid recurrent disruption.
This release is the latest development in an ongoing dispute between operators and regulators over jetty access and scheduling. Goundar’s move to publish the purported MSAF email escalates the matter by putting a specific operational timetable into the public domain and demanding answers about why it is not being followed. How MSAF responds, and whether it will reaffirm or amend the agreed berthing procedures, will determine whether immediate fixes to minimise passenger disruption are possible.
For now, the dispute centers on adherence to the agreed schedule and the allocation of berthing space at Ellington Jetty — an issue that directly affects service reliability for island-bound passengers and shippers. GSL has called for MSAF to restore transparent scheduling and enforce the operational plan it says has been approved in order to prevent further interruptions.
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