A cargo ship has interrupted its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion at the port. The local shipping agent for Capitaine Tasman confirmed that the vessel would not be able to dock in Suva due to a shortage of berthing space.
In an update late last night, the ports authority reported that the ship arrived a day late. Fiji Ports Terminal operations manager Shone Pereira explained that “there was no berth available on 21st September since the vessel arrived late and other ships were occupying the North and South berths.”
This issue is not new for export operators such as Performance Flotation Development, which has faced similar delays in recent months. They expressed frustration over the situation. “All inbound goods will be dropped off at Lautoka port and transferred onto another ship, Capitaine Magellan, to be brought to Suva,” said the Nabua-based textile manufacturer.
Mike Towler, managing director of Performance Flotation Development, voiced his displeasure regarding the events at the wharf. “This is the kind of nonsense we must deal with from Fiji Ports,” he stated, calling it “a ridiculous situation.”
Performance Flotation Development is noted as the largest manufacturer of life jackets in the Southern Hemisphere. The local agent, Shipping Services Fiji Limited, reported that Capitaine Tasman omitted Suva from its voyage due to unavailability of berthing, yard congestion, and slow operational efficiency. They also confirmed that all inbound cargo would be offloaded in Lautoka and then moved to Capitaine Magellan for transport to Suva.