First 200 passengers booking their one-way trip from Natovi to Nabouwalu tomorrow will travel free on the new ferry MV Ohana.

One way costs $40.

This was revealed by management at the launching of Interlink Shipping Limited’s latest addition, MV Ohana on Monday night at Port Mua-i-Walu.

It is the company’s third vessel

MV Westerland was purchased in 2016 and the Queen of Melbourne was bought last year.

ISL is expecting to purchase its fourth vessel before the end of this year.

ISL operations manager Manoj Kumar said the free travel was part of management’s celebrating their third inter-island vessel connecting Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

“This company started off with one truck, diversified into carting goods and items between the two main islands, and is now into shipping,” Mr Kumar said.

“The offer is on first come first serve basis and it is only for one way,” he said.

The ISL ticketing office is at Store 907, Flea Market in Suva.

ISL operations manager Manoj Kumar.

The $2 million MV Ohana bought from Okinawa, in Japan was launched locally four weeks later than its initial date on Monday.

It was delayed at the Solomon Islands after it had to go up the Honiara slipway and on its arrival to Suva a week later had to await clearance from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji.

Launching on Monday included a cruise into the Suva harbor which had ISL business partners, supporters and their families joining them for the celebration.

“Ohana means family, and our motto is family means no one is left behind or forgotten,” Mr Kumar said.

Former radio personality and teacher Dev Raju said the company has come a long way with founder and managing director Ashok Kumar starting off with just one truck back in 1979 carrying logs.

By 1986 Mr Kumar secured a deal with the then Morris Hedstrom carting goods between Vanua Levu and Vanua Levu, four years later included CDP runs.

Soon after Mr Kumar partnered with the Yatu Lau Company Limited for the operation of the Raiwaqa Buses Limited which included the Narere, Makoi, Rewa Street, Raiwai, Raiwaqa and Colonial War Memorial hospital routes.

In four years since 2016, he has diversified to shipping.

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