Fiji cuts port charges

to win Pacific cargoes

THE Ports Authority of Fiji has

stepped up its campaign to market its 10-montb old initiative which is

aimed at effectively making Fiji the

trans-shipment centre of the Forum is lands nations.

It has gained the backing of the ship

ping industry which initially took the

approach of wait-and-see. Ormond Eyre, of Pacific Forum Line in Suva, praises the Ports Authority of Fiji initiative as a move in the right direction, and says Pacific Forum Line has decided to throw its weight behind it when all the re quired equipment are in place to facili tate it.

The Ports Authority of Fiji began its initiative on April 1 last year when it

slashed port charges by half and did away with levies on wharfage, security, storage, and handling and removal, Then in a further move to slash port

charges in Fiji, the Ports Authority

changed its stevedoring formula from the more expensive hourly rate to a flat rate of $BO per full container load on Ro-Ro and $9O for a full container load for Lo-Lo. Breakbulk was fixed at a ton nage rate of $l5 and unitised cargo at $l2 per tonne. For vehicles only $4 per tonne for Ro-Ro and $6 for Lo-Lo, with empty containers $5O.

The Ports Authority’s director general, Isimeli Bose, said the next step was to streamline its operations to attain max imum efficiency so that a rapid and con

tinuous flow of cargo could be guaran teed. This would guarantee the cargo quantity that would offset any losses due to the reduction in charges.

The authority, a government statutory body invested Fs3 million on wharf

equipment. The development included

improvements at the wharf with the in stallation of reefer points, cooler and freezer storage, incineration, fumigation and digital read out and print out weigh bridge facilities. Land was also acquired for a new container yard in Suva.

Nedlloyd has made Fiji its trans shipment port, and trans-shipment shot up by 300 per cent over the 3,000 ton nes achieved in 1988.

The Ports Authority of Fiji’s market ing manager, Sovea Tabua, said it saw 1.77 million tonnes of cargo through its ports last year an all time record.

For this year it projects to break it again at 1.98 million tonnes. The old record was 1.51 million tonnes achieved in 1985. □

-I 3 z t z

Suva Port: charges cut to attract business.