Technical issues due to theft will see Queen of Melbourne going up on the Fiji Ships and Heavy Industries slipway this week says new owner Rajneel Kumar.

Mr Kumar said once every item missing from the vessel was documented the vessel was going to go on the slipway for repairing and refitting.

“We have lodged with the Police and we hope to hear from them soon,” Mr Kumar said.

Mr Kumar who is director Global Recyclers Fiji Limited, said the theft was mismanagement from the company that was hired to bring the vessel to Suva in January.

“Marine parts and instruments were removed with such precision that one can only say that the thieves were well versed with marine instruments,” he said.

“It is a shame and we haven’t had much luck in finding the culprits but we are hopeful.”

Initially a company that was entrusted to look after the vessel had inappropriate documents.

“The documents prepared were solely to their advantage requesting margin share without any business prospects.

“Later we found out that few individuals involved had major debts with the Fiji Revenue and Customs Service.”

“The past owner had spoken and dealt with them; we would not affiliate our business as such.

“The mismanagement by company hired by the previous owners is the biggest concern which is theft and damages.”

Attempts to get a comment from Police spokesperson Ana Naisoro before this edition went to press were unsuccessful.

It is understood that documents for approval to operate in Fiji waters will be lodged with the Maritime Surveillance Authority of Fiji  (MSAF) once the vessel has been refitted.

Yesterday FSHIL operations manager, Lopeti Radravu confirmed that there was a booking for Queen of Melbourne at the Government slipway.

“Yes, there is a booking here for Queen of Melbourne this week but no date is confirmed,” Mr Radravu said.

“We have the facility here, we have been verbally told what the vessel wants undertaken on it,” he said.

The Queen of Melbourne is a roll on roll of passenger vessel that has the capacity to carry 355 passengers and up to six trucks.

The vessel had arrived into Suva on January 19 this year from Geelong in Melbourne.