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Samoa Shipping Corporation
The Samoa Shipping Corporation is a government-owned company in Samoa which provides freight and passenger services between Savai'i, Upolu and American Samoa. Established in 1974, the corporation is managed as a public trading body under the Public Bodies (Performance and Accountability) Act 2001.[2] The corporation also provides maritime support services, including engineering services in Apia[3] and a slipway at Satitoa in Aleipata.[4] It maintains facilities at Mulifanua, Salelologa, Apia and Pago Pago. History The corporation was initially funded by overseas aid. In 1974 the New Zealand government provided NZ$450,000 for the construction of a roll-on/roll-off ferry terminal at Mulifanua.[5] In 1977 the Australian government provided a ferry, the MV Queen Salamasina.[6] The company was unprofitable for its first twenty years, and gained a reputation for inefficiency. In 1985 it bought a "luxury boat", only to sell it back to the original owners just two years later for less than it had paid for it.[7] It finally started delivering dividends to the government in the late 1990's.[8] In 2001 it expanded its fleet, adding the Samoa Express on the Apia - Tokelau route.[9] In 2008 the company constructed a wharf and slipway at Satitoa in Aleipata to reduce travel time to American Samoa and allow vessels to be maintained locally.[10] The new terminal was unpopular with exporters,[11] and services were shifted back to Apia after the Lady Naomi was damaged due to the dock not being deep enough.[12] In 2011 it opened its engineering facility in Apia.[13] In 2012 it began providing bimonthly services to the Northern Cook Islands and to Tokelau.[14] In 2019 - 2020 the company made a profit of $332,000, which was reduced due to the 2019 Samoa measles outbreak.[15] Fleet CurrentSamoa Shipping currently operates five vessels:[1]: 13
Past
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