One of Goundar Shipping Limited’s five vessels, Lomaiviti Princess III has re­sumed its service after three months.

This was confirmed yesterday by the senior master of the Goundar Shipping Limited fleet Captain Inoke Ratotodro.

Captain Ratotodro said the vessel was not operating because it was undergoing repair works and there was a shortage of crew to operate the vessel.

“The Lomaiviti Princess III was pulled out of its schedule from Sep­tember 26 to December 12 last year,” Captain Ratotodro said.

“This was due to the shortage of crew and it needed repairing and general maintenance,” he said.

Meanwhile last year GSL managing director George Goundar confided with the Fiji Sun his plans to recruit Filipinos as he needed workers to work on his vessels.

According to Captain Ratotodro now that Lomaiviti III is in operation it is manned by a minimum number of crew.

“We are continuously looking for applicants and conducting inter­views. It is a challenge to retain staff. Some are fly-bys, we hire them and in two weeks they disappear with­out a word, while some just do not adhere to company policies etc,” he said. Lomaiviti Princess I, II, III, IV, V and VI service Kadavu (Vunisea and Kavala), Yasayasa Moala, Mau­tuku, Totoya, Savusavu, Koro, Tave­uni, Natuvu and Rabi.

The five vessels also do franchise runs and chartered trips.