Nauru announces more details on shipping service

Nauru Shipping Line's charter vessel, Kiwai Chief. Photo: Zarama Narekine

The newly set up Nauru Shipping Line has revealed its main focus will be chartering a single vessel, Kiwai Chief, to carry freight between Suva and Nauru.

It was announced last month that the company was being established by the Nauru Maritime Service, with funding from the government.

Spokesperson Adalane Ika says the Suva service will allow for transshipment of cargo from Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Fiji.

She says the crew of Kiwai Chief are mostly from Papua New Guinea.

The Kiwai Chief is a 64 metre long landing craft which was built in 2013. It sails under the PNG flag.

Funding from Australia’s eight-year-long asylum seeker detention programme on the island has enabled the Nauru Government to set up the shipping service and to rebuild its airline.

Source: RNZ