Project for Construction of a Cargo / Passenger Vessel

OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT

Tuvalu has no domestic air routes and depends on shipping for transport between its islands and to Fiji and other countries. Of the two passenger-cargo vessels then in service, the Nivaga II, introduced in 1988 with British assistance, had reached 25 years of age and was frequently out of service due to hull corrosion and equipment failures, making safe, scheduled operation difficult. As the other vessel, the Manu Folau, could not meet demand on its own, the government of Tuvalu requested a new passenger-cargo vessel from Japan. This project provided a passenger-cargo vessel to replace the Nivaga II, aiming to maintain maritime transport as a lifeline for the people of Tuvalu.