The $8.2m investment of a new container yard at the Lautoka Port will increase its storage capacity.

Permanent Secretary for Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport, Shaheen Ali says the investment is critical in enhancing Fiji’s hub status.

Ali says the Lautoka Port can store up to approximately 40,000 twenty foot equivalent units and with this new yard an additional 1,260 containers.

According to Ali they need to continue investing in cargo volumes.

The Permanent Secretary also says the ongoing contraction of production and consumption due to the pandemic has led to reduction in maritime trade, causing disruption in shipping demand and port traffic.

Ali says they can see this reduction of Fiji’s re-exports in 2020 by 38% as well as a reduce imports by 34%.