HONIARA, Solomon Islands – February 25, 2026 – Pacific Towing (PacTow), a leading provider of
marine services in the Pacific region, has significantly enhanced its towage capability in the
Solomon Islands with the return of Tug Kavachi following a major dry-docking and refurbishment
program in Singapore valued at $SBD8 million.
Tug Kavachi, a Solomon Islands flagged vessel managed and operated by a full Solomon Islander
crew, has resumed service at the Port of Honiara, joining the powerful ASD tug Pacific Salvor.
Together, the two tugs provide a combined bollard pull of 90 tonnes – Pacific Salvor at 50 tonnes
and Kavachi at 40 tonnes – enabling PacTow to now perform two-tug harbour movements in
Honiara for the first time.
This increased capacity allows the port to safely manoeuvre larger and more complex vessel
arrivals and departures, supporting operational reliability while strengthening the Solomon
Islands’ maritime infrastructure. In addition to servicing Honiara, PacTow now has the capability
to service Noro Port via mobilisation.
PacTow General Manager, Gerard Kasnari, said the return of Kavachi marks a significant
milestone in PacTow’s long-term commitment to safe and reliable harbour towage operations in
the Solomon Islands. “PacTow is now well positioned to support the growing volume and size of
vessels calling into the port. This upgrade not only strengthens port operations but also
contributes to the broader development of maritime infrastructure in the Solomon Islands.” he
said.
“Investing in Kavachi’s extensive drydocking and ensuring she continues to be crewed by
Solomon Islanders reflects our commitment to maritime safety, reliability, and localisation,”
Kasnari added.
Serving the Solomon Islands for more than a decade, PacTow is committed to developing local
talent. In 2025, PacTow awarded maritime cadetship scholarships to four Solomon Islanders,
who are currently enrolled at Fiji’s National University’s Pacific Centre for Maritime Studies
(PCMS) as part of their cadetship programme.