Four Goundar Shipping Limited (GSL) vessels are awaiting the green light from Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) after they were seized two months ago.

GSL managing director George Goundar while confirming the number yesterday says he is hopeful his vessels will soon be operating again.

“We have four ships which are still on hold and they are Lomaiviti Princess 1, 4, 8 and 9,” Mr Goundar said.

The four vessels are now out in the Suva Harbour. Lomaiviti Princess 8 and 9 are the latest edition to the GSL fleet.

Mr Goundar had purchased four vessels this year; Lomaiviti Princess 6 was bought for $2.2 million, Lomaiviti Princess 7 for $2.2 m, Lomaiviti Princess 8 for $2.8 m and Lomaiviti Princess 9 had cost $2m.

He had alluded early this year that he has set aside $14milion to purchase five vessels this year.

His tenth vessel is still in the pipeline.

“I am a concern as a stakeholder, I have nothing against MSAF but now it has been two months and every time I request for a one on one meeting  I have been ignored,” he said.

Mr Goundar said they would be meeting with Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Disaster Management and Meteorological Services Jone Usamate today to discuss some of these issues.

“We have not received the Safe Ship Management (SSM) audits for four ships at the moment. We have applied for it but MSAF is not really looking into it and I am concerned.

“There are issues that need to be addressed with the Minister. MSAF staff need to stop personalising things.

“I have a letter from the Ministry which states that I can get seafarers from the Philippines but they can’t work now because there is no Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Fiji and Philippines.”

Questions sent to MSAF yesterday were still not answered when this edition went to press.

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