Shipping crisis choke Taveuni Island trade

Businesses in Taveuni say the prolonged disruption to inter-island shipping is crippling trade, leaving supermarket shelves bare, fuel supplies exhausted and farmers unable to move produce to market.

The worsening situation has prompted the Government to activate contingency measures to maintain the movement of passengers and cargo while efforts continue to resolve the impasse between Goundar Shipping Limited and the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF).

Assistant Minister for Transport Naisa Tuinaceva said the Government was engaging all stakeholders and had contingency plans in place to cushion the disruption affecting maritime communities.

Taveuni Kava and Dalo Dealers owner Sheenal Mansi Reddy said the situation had deteriorated rapidly since cargo services were suspended, affecting the movement of essential goods and agricultural produce.

She said fuel supplies on the island had been exhausted while supermarkets were running low on staple items, including rice, dhal and other household necessities.

“Our business normally purchases between 10 and 20 tonnes of dalo every week from local farmers, but we have been unable to buy any because there is no shipping available to transport it to Suva,” Ms Reddy said.

“Fresh produce is spoiling and farmers are losing their only source of income.”

She warned that public transport services could also be affected if fuel shortages continued, making it increasingly difficult for people to travel to work, school and access essential services.

“The disruption is affecting businesses, farmers and the island’s entire supply chain,” she said.

“Food shortages will worsen if assistance does not arrive quickly.”

The disruption follows Goundar Shipping Limited’s decision to suspend services to Savusavu, Taveuni and Rabi after an unresolved regulatory issue with MSAF.

In a public notice, the company said it had submitted all required documentation but the matter remained unresolved. It apologised to customers for the disruption, called on Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka to intervene and urged greater transparency from MSAF to help resolve the issue.

The suspension has disrupted freight movements across the Northern Division, raising concerns over declining stock levels, business losses and the financial impact on farmers who depend on regular shipping services to access markets.

Meanwhile, Mr Tuinaceva said the Government was working with stakeholders to ensure contingency arrangements remained in place to maintain passenger and cargo services while discussions continued.