Fiji ferries failing

FIJIAN inter-island ferry operator Goundar Shipping has suffered a second casualty in a little over a week with the ancient ro-pax Lomaiviti Princess II partially capsizing in Suva Harbour on Sunday night (2 May 2025). Local reports say the casualty occurred after the ship “arrived late” at Narain Jetty.

This came after a newer vessel, Lomaiviti Princess 6, ran aground on a reef near Ono-i-Lau island last week but was later refloated. In both incidents passengers and crew were safely evacuated.

The 1,039 GT Lomaiviti Princess II was built in 1980 and acquired by Goundar in 2013 from Tahitian owners, for whom it served as Tuhaa Pae II. Goundar advertised it as carrying up to 882 passengers and 700 tonnes of cargo.

Goundar vessels have encountered a procession of problems and controversies since the company was founded by George Goundar in 2010, including a grounding by Lomaiviti Princess II in the Maloi Passage in October last year.

According to Equasis the ferry fleet ranges in year-of-build from the 1966 to 1997, although registers are notoriously out-of-date in recording South Pacific inter-island tonnage.

Mr Goundar has referred all queries about the latest incident to the Fiji Ports Corporation, while local interests are now calling for a thorough investigation of Goundar Shipping by the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji.

On Facebook Goundar posted: “Sad day for Lomaiviti Princess II – Rest in Peace. Thanks you for the journeys, the memories and the service you provided. You were more than just a vessel – you were part of our lives. Gone but never forgotten.”

Ironically, the grounding of the 196 GT Lomaiviti Princess 6 (built in 1995 and acquired in 2019, also rendered as Lomaiviti Princess VI)while en route to the Lau Group, occurred just as MSAF began a safety audit of all Fiji-registered vessels and prompted the authority to launch a full review of Goundar’s safety protocols.

Local villages in canoes rescued passengers and crew and the vessel was reported to have been refloated by fleetmate Lomaiviti Princess 12.

Last month a local Ra chief was reported by The Fiji Times to be pleading with the Government to halt the registration and deployment of one of Goundar’s latest acquisitions, the high-speed catamaran Captain Inoke due to safety concerns.

The vessel is to operate between Suva and Levuka, Natovi, Nabouwalu and Ellington under the newly-established Goundar Fast Ferries brand. The 80-metre ferry, built in 1998 to Incat Tasmania’s K50 design by Afai Southern Shipyard Co of China, originally had capacity for 785 passengers and 10 buses/50 cars and operated at a laden speed of 49.7 knots.

Its registration is still under review by MSAF.

In a statement, Tu Navitilevu Ratu Emori Bolobolo, warned against repeating the mistakes of other countries by rushing to acquire similar vessels that have been regarded “unsafe”.

“This vessel has a shadow over it, questions about its structure, its age, its safety. We cannot allow our seas to become a testing ground for unsafe ships.”

In response, George Goundar denied claims that the vessel had structural challenges. “No, that’s a total lie. We’re professional enough in this industry to pick the right vessels,” he said.

Mr Goundar said other shipping companies were bringing in old vessels and that the delay in the approval process was fuelled by jealousy harboured by rival shipping companies: “It’s going to operate. I assure you, next month it will be plying the waters of Viti Levu,” he told the Times.