EXPECT cruise visits at our ports for the next 12 months as we begin the year.
In a shipping schedule released by the Fiji Ports Corporation Ltd (FPCL) website through Kenua Fiji, the nation is expected to receive 69 cruise ships this year. Last year, Fiji received 72 cruise ships.
According to the Ministry of Tourism a total of $2.2 million was generated in the third quarter of 2017 from visitor arrivals on cruise liners compared with $3.2m for the same period in 2016.
The ministry has attributed its success to the hard work of the relevant stakeholders showing that ports in Fiji were attractive stops for the major cruise line operators.
It is understood foreign vessels that come to our shore have to book with an agent to facilitate their trip. This includes cargo vessels, foreign fishing vessels, cruise liners or naval vessels from any country visiting or making a brief stopover.
FPCL will liaise with the agents in relation to ports charges.
These shipping agents/companies include Carpenters Shipping Ltd, Neptune Shipping, Swire Shipping, Campbell Shipping, Williams & Gosling Ltd and Transam Shipping Agencies.
These main agents have shipping lines under them that looks after various vessels coming in. Kenua Fiji is a shipping line/agent under Transam and they are tasked with looking after the cruise liners coming to Fiji while foreign shipping vessels, have their own agents.
