Vanuatu’s azure water announces export deal
Vanuatu’s Azure Pure Water has announced a breakthrough export deal with Carnival Australia. The three-year agreement will see Azure’s Vanuatu Natural water supplied exclusively to select P&O Cruise ships when they berth in Port Villa, Vanuatu. This is the largest bottled-water export agreement in the history of Vanuatu, seeing the equivalent of a 40-foot container loaded onto the Pacific Dawn and Pacific Jewel at each berthing.
Azure Pure Water owners Shaun Gilchrist and Yael Sakker said this is the first major export of its kind.
It’s a milestone for the Vanuatu export and tourism industry, giving P&O passengers the opportunity to taste ‘Vanuatu Natural’, with the water being placed in all cabins for purchase.
“The volume we are supplying out of Vanuatu will make Azure Pure Water the second largest exporter in Vanuatu, behind the combined beef export industry,” Ms Sakker said.
Pacific Trade Invest (PTI) Australia is proud to have facilitated the connection with Azure Pure Water and Carnival Australia.
PTI Australia’s Trade and Investment Commissioner, Caleb Jarvis, said this was a ground-breaking deal not only for Vanuatu, but also for the Pacific Islands, and will help to further inspire export development in the Pacific Islands.
“This milestone agreement between Vanuatu’s Azure Pure Water and Carnival Australia shows that goods produced and manufactured in the Pacific Islands can compete in an international market,” Mr Jarvis said.
“Carnival Australia has very strict and demanding standards for their suppliers, especially regarding quality, quantity and price.
“Azure Pure Water has worked tirelessly over the past year to put in place measures to meet Carnival Australia’s supplier standards. This agreement shows that with hard work and commitment, it can be done.”
Ms Sakker echoed these sentiments. “It’s been a 12-month journey for us to reach this exclusive agreement with Carnival Cruises Australia,” she said. “A journey that has seen us invest extensively in infrastructure, equipment, upskilling of staff, and processes, to improve our operations and products and to achieve Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HAACP) certification for Azure Pure Water.
“This has ensured our products meet the quality expectations not only of P&O Cruises, but also the international visitors they bring to Vanuatu and other Pacific Island countries.
“We are thankful to the Vanuatu Government and PTI Australia, whose support has made this deal possible.” Established 23 years ago as Vanuatu’s first domestic supplier of bottled water, Azure Pure Water is the only (HACCP) certified supplier of packaged water in the archipelago, gaining certification late last year.
The Director of Supply Chain, Carnival Australia, Jeremy Goodman was delighted to see the agreement become a reality, watching the first shipment loaded onto the Pacific Jewel in Port Vila, Vanuatu. “P&O Cruises has been cruising to the South Pacific for more than 85 years and Vanuatu’s beautiful cruise destinations are among our most popular,” he said. “To build on this connection, our passengers having an opportunity to taste Vanuatu Natural onboard will add to a unique experience which promotes Vanuatu directly to an international tourist market. “Our standards for suppliers are high, and Vanuatu Natural’s operators have given us the confidence to offer a high-quality water product on our ships. We made a commitment to share the economic benefits of cruising and we are excited to see how it supports the local Vanuatu economy in boosting Vanuatu’s exports.” Founded in 1979, PTI Australia is an agency of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat that creates jobs in the Pacific Islands by facilitating trade and attracting investment into the region. With an extensive network and a deep understanding of the Pacific Islands, PTI Australia supports private sector growth to reduce aid reliance, making long-term, sustainable improvements to the region’s economy and the livelihoods of Pacific Islanders