Committee hears of Lau Group’s challenges

The isolated and exposed islands of the Lau Group pose a challenge to any ship visiting the area to discharge passengers and cargo, says Goundar Shipping Limited director George Goundar.

He made the remark during submissions to the Standing Committee on Natural Resources on the petition for Government to provide reliable, safe and affordable shipping services for the Lau Group.

Mr Goundar said bad weather, which was often experienced in the region, worsened the challenges faced by ships and shipping companies.

He said another issue was the lack of suitable jetties at low tides for conventional vessels and mooring facilities.

“Lack of accessibility at low tides for the ships’ work boats to get to the shore or across reefs causes long delays, resulting in the higher expenditure of fuel, rations and extended turnaround time,” Mr Goundar said.

He added that providing a service during off-peak periods was another challenge, considering it was costly to the operators. “We support the recommendation for the introduction of new ships to the area and from operator’s point of view there also needs to be a review of the franchise freight and fare rates to ensure economic viability commensurate with the levels of service,” Mr Goundar said. Committee member Alexander O’Connor said they would compile the submissions received on the petition into a report that would be presented to Parliament in September.