A cargo ship has halted its journey to the capital due to reports of congestion at port facilities. The local shipping agent for the Capitaine Tasman confirmed that the vessel will not dock in Suva because of limited berthing space. The Ports Authority announced that the ship arrived a day late, which contributed to the situation.
According to Shone Pereira, the terminal manager of Fiji Ports, there were no available berths on September 21 as the vessel arrived late and other ships were already occupying the North and South berths. This issue has been a repetitive concern for export operators like Performance Flotation Development, prompting frustration.
The textile manufacturer stated that all inbound shipments will now be offloaded at Lautoka port and transferred to another vessel, Capitaine Magellan, for delivery to Suva. Managing Director Mike Towler expressed his dissatisfaction with the operational delays at the wharf, describing the situation as intolerable and frustrating.
Performance Flotation Development is recognized as the largest life jacket manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere. Shipping Services Fiji Limited noted that the Capitaine Tasman omitted Suva from its route due to berthing unavailability, yard congestion, and sluggish operational productivity of the vessel. As a result, all inbound cargo will be transferred in Lautoka for shipment to Suva.