Samoa Shipping Corporation

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Samoa Shipping Corporation
Agency overview
Formed1974 (1974)
TypePublic trading body
Employees209 (in 2020)[1]: 18 
Annual budget$20.6 million (in 2020)[1]: 15 
Minister responsible
  • Minister of Works, Transport & Infrastructure
Agency executive
  • Leiataua Samuel Phineas, Chief Executive

The Samoa Shipping Corporation is a government-owned company in Samoa which provides freight and passenger services between Savai'i, Upolu and American Samoa. Established in 1974, the corporation is managed as a public trading body under the Public Bodies (Performance and Accountability) Act 2001.[2]

The corporation also provides maritime support services, including engineering services in Apia[3] and a slipway at Satitoa in Aleipata.[4] It maintains facilities at Mulifanua, Salelologa, Apia and Pago Pago.

History[edit]

MV Lady Samoa II at the Mulifanua ferry terminal

The corporation was initially funded by overseas aid. In 1974 the New Zealand government provided NZ$450,000 for the construction of a roll-on/roll-off ferry terminal at Mulifanua.[5] In 1977 the Australian government provided a ferry, the MV Queen Salamasina.[6] The company was unprofitable for its first twenty years, and gained a reputation for inefficiency. In 1985 it bought a "luxury boat", only to sell it back to the original owners just two years later for less than it had paid for it.[7] It finally started delivering dividends to the government in the late 1990's.[8] In 2001 it expanded its fleet, adding the Samoa Express on the Apia - Tokelau route.[9]

In 2008 the company constructed a wharf and slipway at Satitoa in Aleipata to reduce travel time to American Samoa and allow vessels to be maintained locally.[10] The new terminal was unpopular with exporters,[11] and services were shifted back to Apia after the Lady Naomi was damaged due to the dock not being deep enough.[12]

In 2011 it opened its engineering facility in Apia.[13] In 2012 it began providing bimonthly services to the Northern Cook Islands and to Tokelau.[14]

In 2019 - 2020 the company made a profit of $332,000, which was reduced due to the 2019 Samoa measles outbreak.[15]

Fleet[edit]

MV Fotu o Samoa II

Current[edit]

Samoa Shipping currently operates five vessels:[1]: 13 

  • MV Lady Naomi (since 1999)[16]
  • MV Lady Samoa III (since 2010)[17]
  • MV Fotu o Samoa II
  • MV Fasefulu (since 2015)[18]
  • MV Samoa Express II (since 2021)[19]

Past[edit]

  • MV Limulimutau
  • MV Queen Salamasina (1977—1999)
  • MV Puleono (1978—?)
  • MV Salafai
  • MV Tausala Samoa
  • MV Lady Samoa (1985—1987)
  • MV Fotu o Samoa
  • MV Lady Samoa II
  • MV Pacifica Express (ex-MV Tokelau) (2013—2022)[20][21]
  • MV Samoa Express (2001—2021)

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Annual Report 2020" (PDF). Samoa Shipping Corporation. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  2. ^ "Samoa Shipping Corporation". Ministry for Public Enterprises. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Marine engineering & fabrication services". Samoa Shipping Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Slipway Services". Samoa Shipping Corporation. Archived from the original on 19 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Ferry Service". Pacific Islands Monthly. Vol. 45, no. 7. 1 July 1974. p. 33. Retrieved 19 September 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  6. ^ "SAMOA'S MV QUEEN SALAMASINA SOLD TO FIJI'S PATTERSON BROTHERS SHIPPING". Pacific Islands Report. 22 November 1999. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Luxury lady sold for $1m". Samoa Observer. 21 October 1987. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  8. ^ "SAMOA SHIPPING CORPORATION ON WINNING COURSE". Pacific Islands Report. 24 August 2000. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  9. ^ "SAMOA SHIPPING ANNOUNCES $1.6 MILLION IN PROFITS". Pacific Islands Report. 1 October 2001. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  10. ^ "SAMOA WHARF PROJECT BRINGS PROMISE OF TRADE". Pacific Islands Monthly. 10 July 2008. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  11. ^ "SAVAII EXPORTERS PROTEST SAMOA SHIPPING ROUTE". Pacific Islands Report. 15 November 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  12. ^ "SAMOA FERRY RETURNS TO WHARF AT MATAUTU". Pacific Islands Report. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  13. ^ "SAMOA SHIP REPAIR FACILITY OPENS NEW HORIZONS". Pacific Islands Report. 23 August 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Samoa inter-island ferries to service the Cook Islands and Tokelau". RNZ. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  15. ^ Joyetter Feagaimaali'i (25 March 2021). "Samoa Shipping Corporation profit plummets". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  16. ^ "SAMOA'S QUEEN SALAMASINA MAKES HER FINAL VOYAGE TO PAGO PAGO". Pacific Islands Report. 26 January 1999. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  17. ^ "JAPAN PRESENTS SAMOA WITH $15 MILLION FERRY". Pacific Islands Report. 4 March 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  18. ^ "Samoa Ferry On 'Lifesaving Mission' To Tokelau Waters". Pacific Islands Report. 6 October 2015. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  19. ^ "'MV Samoa Express II' officially joins fleet". Loop Samoa. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  20. ^ "Tokelau Presents Samoa Shipping Corporation With Ferry". Pacific Islands Report. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 19 September 2021.
  21. ^ Sialai Sarafina Sanerivi (12 October 2022). "Businessman undecided on vessel's use". Samoa Observer. Retrieved 13 October 2022.
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