New Service NZ to Rarotonga


Pacific Direct Line and Pacific Forum Line are delighted to announce the signing of an historic agreement between our two companies. We believe this will allow us to offer the Cook Islands tremendous benefits in terms of a long term, viable and stable shipping service.

The PFL vessel, Forum Avarua and Pacific Direct Line vessel, Southern Phoenixwill both be withdrawn from the New Zealand to Cook Islands service. These twovessels will be replaced by a larger vessel named the MV Forum Pacific. Thisvessel has been chartered by a new Joint Venture Company set up betweenPacific Direct Line and Pacific Forum Line.

This is an exciting development for the Trade as it offers long term stability for shipping services to the Cook Islands. The amalgamation of the two services in to a Joint Venture ensures the ongoing viability of this service so that Cook Island businesses can continue to have the benefit of two services and healthy competition in the Trade lane.

The Forum Pacific will offer a service to Rarotonga every 25 days. The vessel will depart Auckland to Nuku’alofa, Vava’u, Niue, Rarotonga then back to Auckland. The Forum Avarua V13 will be the final voyage for this vessel and the last voyage of the Southern Phoenix will be V15. The first voyage of the MV Forum Pacific is scheduled to depart Auckland 15 March.

Pacific Forum Line and Pacific Direct Line will continue to operate as separateentities in the market and will retain their existing agency companies inRarotonga.

For any further information please contact the local office of Pacific DirectLine or Transam