NEPTUNE Pacific Direct Line is making changes to a number of its services from early next month as it manages maintenance requirements and optimal fleet deployment.
In the NZPAC service PFL Matai will load all V7 cargo as scheduled in Tauranga and Auckland and proceed to Suva, where it will discharge all Samoa and Tonga cargo. It will then arrive Lautoka 4 August to unload all remaining cargo and undergo maintenance until around 12 August, before loading export cargo and returning to Tauranga.
The PFL Matai V007 Samoa & Tonga cargo will tranship at Suva onto Capitaine Magellan V047 and should arrive within one day of previously expected. To facilitate this Capitaine Magellan will call Noumea as scheduled on its current NOUVAPAC and then continue onto Suva and Lautoka where the voyage will complete, with V047 then beginning at Suva to load the PFL Matai Tonga/Samoa cargo. Port Vila cargo on board will be transferred to NPDL Tahiti V2417 at Suva and delivered 10 August, while Santo cargo will be transferred to Capitaine Wallis V412 and delivered on 24 August during an ad-hoc call.
NPDL notes that Capitaine Magellan will be out of the NOUVAPAC service for some time to accomplish the above and may also be operated elsewhere for several months. As a result NZ-Noumea cargo will be consolidated on the ANL/ Sofrana WESTPAC service.
For NZ to Port Vila, Vanuatu NPDL will initially offer transhipment over Suva on the fortnightly AUSPAC service, while in future the line will offer a relay service on the fixed day weekly NZPAC service from Tauranga and Auckland connecting to Port Vila over Suva. This routing improves both the frequency and the transit time to Port Vila, NPDL says.
For NZ to Santo, Vanuatu, NPDL will add a new dedicated call to Santo Luganville on the INTRAPAC service (on Capitaine Wallis), which operates every three weeks from Fiji. This will be a tranship service on NZPAC over Suva.
Finally, for Noumea to Wallis & Futuna and Vanuatu, all Noumea export in these corridors will be loaded on the AUSPAC service at Noumea, connecting at Suva to the INTRAPAC service.
Meanwhile, NPDL has reminded customers that issues in the Red Sea are causing many ports in Asia, and in particular Singapore, to suffer with significant port congestion, feeder capacity constraints, and schedule reliability issues.
These disruptions have directly impacted cargo flows from key transhipment and loading ports in Asia, especially China, the carriers says. The knock-on-effect has resulted in missed connections and delayed cargo arrival to the South Pacific.
“To manage this situation during the current peak season, we recommend that all customers allocate a buffer time of at least two to three-weeks for time-bound deliveries, especially for cargoes originating from Qingdao, Xingang, Ningbo, Shanghai, Nansha and Shekou.
“The NPDL team remains committed to provide timely updates and minimise disruption of your shipments.”
