NEPTUNE PACIFIC Direct Line will alter its regular schedule to the Samoan port of Apia in October as it attempts to accommodate additional cargo demand and a week-long port closure.

The carrier says White Sunday, which this year falls on 13 October, is a traditionally busy time for regular FCL shipments but this year there is already increased demand for sea and air frieght, ahead of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa from 21 to 26 October.

“CHOGM is a huge event for Apia and as a result the Samoa Ports Authority are closing Apia International Port,” NPDL said. The commercial berthing space will be occupied by cruise ships providing accommodation for CHOGM attendees as local hotel space is insufficient.

“If you are planning to deliver any form of cargo to Samoa in October please get in touch before the end of August to ensure your place. We will be altering our regular schedule with this in mind but again if you have shipments planned between the middle and end of October please contact you NPDL representative,” the line said.

Separately, NZPL has been forced to abandon the next planned voyage of PFL Matai in the NZPAC service due to technical issues. The ship returned to Tauranga this week after completing crane repairs in Suva but a new issue has arisen and the ship has not been able to discharge V007S cargo or load for V008N and will miss berthing windows in Tauranga and Auckland while “urgent repairs” are undertaken.

Accordingly PFL Matai cargo will be loaded on Capitaine Tasman V097N 26 and 27 August, with bookings then cascading to subsequent voyages by Capitaine Tupaia and PFL Matai. Capitaine Tasman 97 will perform a truncated voyage of Tauranga – Auckland – Suva – Lautoka – Tauranga.

Samoa & American Samoa cargo will tranship in Suva onto the Capitaine Magellan 50 which will rotate Lautoka – Suva – Apia – Pago – Auckland. It will also load exports from Samoa & American Samoa to NZ Zealand.  Capitaine Tupaia 23 will call Tonga instead of American Samoa. Its rotation will be Tauranga – Auckland – Suva – Lautoka – Apia – Nuku’alofa – Tauranga.