Winds of change
Tamadigibuli@fijitimes.com.fj
HE 2546 container capacity vessel MV maiden voyage to Fiji last week is a wind of change bringing optimism to Fiji’s market.
Manned by a team of skilled crew members with multinational background, the has a large commitment to Fiji.
The vessels maiden voyage to Suva was a significant one as it was an affirmation of Maersk recognising Fiji and its market in the Oceania region.
This ship can carry anything that can be loaded safely in containers.
The will be seen within two to three weeks in five ports in New Zealand and two ports in Fiji.
“The significance of today is that we have a Maersk vessel here that is named after a place in Fiji which is the of Nadi,” Shipping Services (Fiji) Pte Ltd managing director Bernard Hong Tiy said.
He said the company had sought the blessings of the Tui Nadi, Ratu Vuniani Navuniuci, who graciously gave his blessings for the naming of the vessel.
“The fact that it’s named hopefully gives optimism to the people who work and live in Nadi, especially those who have been drastically affected by COVID-19 and who have lost employment. “We would like to reflect that optimism back to Fiji and hopefully with how the COVID-19 vaccines are rolling out we will be opening borders sooner rather than later.
“These two vessels for Maersk, one last week (MV and one this week is the newest vessels on the run into Fiji.”
He said MV and MV
were larger ships compared with what they had been using before.
He added that those ships brought in more in terms of capacity.
On Friday last week, the sailed to Lautoka for its next port call.
From Lautoka the vessel sailed back to Tauranga in New Zealand.
“From Tauranga it heads down to the South Island to Nelson, Timaru and
Littleton.
“From Littleton it then goes to Auckland and Tauranga before it comes back to Fiji.
“At the moment ships are not to full so to bring in more vessels now may not be the smartest thing.
“If another line wants to consider coming to Fiji they will need too ensure that the economy is a lot better so that there is cargo to take across.”
On manning crew, Mr Hong Tiy said
doesn’t have any Fijians on board the vessel.
“We don’t have any Fijian crew on these vessels. The manning arrangements haven’t been made with Fiji supplying any manning seamen.”
The is one of two 2500 container capacity vessels now servicing the ports of Suva and Lautoka, as part of Maersk’s Sirius Star Service.