Shania Shayal Prasad 
[ FilePhoto ]
Concerns have been raised regarding ongoing delays at ports, which are causing significant disruptions to business operations.
Suva Retailers Association President Jitesh Patel states that issues such as delays in clearing goods, ships struggling to dock, and general port inefficiencies are severely affecting retailers across the country.
Patel sheds light to a recent incident at the Lautoka wharf, where a container fell into the sea, further complicating port operations and raising concerns about future delays.
He states that such incidents could create additional problems, especially if ships are unable to dock or at their usual rate, impacting the timely flow of goods.
“And the Suva port is so congested, ships have to wait for three, four days just to unload cargo, and then it takes us about five days to clear the cargo. So it is a challenge as well at the moment, what we call is port congestion.”
In response, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Manoa Kamikamica acknowledged the problem and stated that the use of the AMEX wharf in Lautoka is being considered as a potential solution to the port challenges.
Kamikamica also states that investments are likely needed to upgrade the aging Suva wharf, with the Fiji National Provident Fund involved in the process.
