A cargo ship has had to halt its journey to the capital city due to congestion issues at the port. The local shipping agent for the Capitaine Tasman has stated that the vessel will not be able to dock in Suva because there is insufficient berthing space.
Late last night, the Ports Authority informed that the vessel arrived a day later than planned. Fiji Ports Terminal’s operations manager, Shone Pereira, explained that there were no available berths on September 21, as the Capitaine Tasman arrived late while other vessels were occupying the North and South berths.
Export operators like Performance Flotation Development have expressed frustration over the ongoing delays. The company noted that all inbound goods would be offloaded at Lautoka Port and transferred to another ship, the Capitaine Magellan, for transport to Suva.
Mike Towler, the managing director of Performance Flotation Development, did not hold back his criticism of the situation at the wharf. He expressed his dissatisfaction, calling the operational issues a troubling experience for businesses dealing with Fiji Ports, labeling the situation as a “joke.”
Performance Flotation Development is the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere. Shipping agent, Shipping Services Fiji Limited, indicated that the Capitaine Tasman had skipped Suva on its journey due to the unavailability of berthing space, yard congestion, and slow operational productivity.
In summary, all incoming cargo will now be sent to Lautoka and later transferred to the Capitaine Magellan for delivery to Suva.