Pfl Withdraws From

Shipowners’ Group

After only five months, the Pa cific Forum Line has an nounced its withdrawal from the fledgling South Pacific Shipowner’s Association (PIM Jan p 65). The PFL was a founding member of the as sociation when it was set up in November 1979.

An official statement re leased by PFL headquarters in Apia in April said that ‘it had gradually become apparent that membership of the associ ation was in some areas inhibit

ing PFL from wholly carrying

out its obligations and commit ments to its shareholders’.

These shareholders are the governments of New Zealand,

Western Samoa, Tonga, Papua

New Guinea, Fiji, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Cook Islands, and Nauru. They formed the line as a joint ven ture in 1977.

The Apia statement said: ‘The company believes that the

particularly diverse trading re

quirements of the Pacific Islands mean that it can more usefully be employed as an

independent line.’

The PFL has a fleet of three ships, the two sister ships Forum Samoa and Fua Kavenga owned by the govern ments of Western Samoa and

Tonga respectively. These

vessels are new, purpose-built ships of about 300 teu (twenty

foot equivalent units) capacity,

with roro capabilities. The Forum New Zealand, owned by the New Zealand Government, is a ‘Strider Class’ sea container vessel with similar capacity.

The company is also negotiat ing a charter agreement for

another vessel suitable for trading to the smaller island groups of Tuvalu and Tokelau.

The PFL provides a regular service to the Central and South Pacific regions from both Australia and New Zealand, serving Brisbane and Sydney as its Australian ports of call.

The company recently established its own offices in

Suva, Wellington and Syd

ney.

Sailors from Guam took the first three places in the Hobie 16 Class in the Annual Laguna Regatta held at Saipan, North ern Marianas, in March.

Scott Russell of Saipan took first in the 14 Class.

The regatta had entries from

Saipan, Guam and Japan.