The Government will decide the future of the Aurora V once repairs and modifications to the ferry in Australia are completed.
Prime Minister and Minister of Works, Transport and Infrastructure Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt inspected the vessel at Polaris Marine in Yamba, New South Wales, last week while it was undergoing dry-docking work.
A Government press release said the inspection was intended to assess the ferry’s structural and operating condition, review the progress of repairs and obtain projected completion dates. It said completing the repairs and meeting national and international maritime safety requirements would allow the Government to make a final decision on the vessel’s future deployment.
The statement did not say when the work would be completed or whether the Government was still considering leasing or selling the ferry.
The latest position follows earlier comments from Laaulialemalietoa that the Aurora V would not be used on the Upolu–Savaiʻi route because of safety concerns. He said the Government was considering leasing or selling the vessel to recover what he estimated was about SAT$20 million spent through the Samoa Ports Authority (SPA).
