Seventeen vessels were slipped and repaired at the South Seas Slipway Limited (SSSL), in Walu Bay, Suva, during the first two months this year.

SSSL managing director, Radhika Kumar said most vessels repaired at their slipway were mostly fishing vessels.

The slipway successfully repaired around 68 boats last year.

“We slipped around 68 vessels last year and the first two months of this year has been good,” Ms Kumar said.

The slipway is working on attracting other vessel types to their slipway.

“We only slip fishing boats but we are trying to get in more boats like the budge boat and catamaran boat to help us during the time when fishing boats are out fishing again,” she said.

“But we were lucky to slip a budge boat arrived in from out of Vanuatu last year which was a very good thing and now we’re also trying to get a few more of this boats into our slipway.”

Ms Kumar said the beginning and the end of the year is always the best period for their slipway because that is their busy period.

“We get most vessels booked at our slipway in the start of or end of the year but during the middle of the year, it’s not so busy because fishing is mostly favourable during this time of the year,” she said.

The slipway’s contribution to the Fijian economy Ms Kumar explained is their efficiency and productivity.

“The more efficient we can be, the more better the economy will be for the Government.

“We have the facility to cater for  boats that also go outside from the Pacific Islands to other countries like China,” she said.