Sailing into known waters

Swire boosts import-export services

A NEW shipping service combined with the upgrade of liner networks will open up key markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Swire Shipping General Manager, James Woodrow, said Asian markets were integral to trade in the Pacific.

“For example Fiji sends a lot of sugar and now minerals by ship to Asia and there is a lot of trade in the opposite direction,” Woodrow said. Speaking to Islands Business after taking over the operations of Pacific Agencies and opening Swire’s re-branded Fiji offices, Woodrow said he was confident of the way forward. “We are looking at slowly expanding our business in Fiji,” Woodrow said.”

“We owned 50 per cent of Pacific Agencies and  Swire has now taken over the entire business. “And we are very proud of the excellent staff Swire has in place in Suva and Lautoka. “We are continuously looking at ways to upgrade our services and network to offer greater frequency, faster transit time and better coverage for our key markets.’ Fiji will provide a vital hub for Pacific exports because of its accessibility to small island countries.

And its large manufacturing base ensures sufficient cargo for shipping companies to move on return voyages. Swire owns the China Navigation Company, which has been operating in and through Fiji since 1958. Its current service provides links to Australia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South East Asia, China, Korea and Japan…

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