12 Feb 2010

Samoa Shipping Corporation accepts concerns, has hefty fine cut

12:28 pm on 12 February 2010

A nine thousand US dollar fine by the US Coast Guard against the Fotu o

Samoa vessel from Apia has been reduced to just 200 dollars.

It follows a meeting this week between the vessel's owners, the Samoa Shipping Corporation, the US Coast Guard and the American Samoa Ports Authority.

The Corporation chief executive officer, Papalii Willie Nansen, says the matter, concerning the Fotu o Samoa carrying passengers when it had been chartered to deliver cargo to the Manu'a islands more than a week ago, has been resolved.

Papalii says the captain and crew had told an internal investigation that the ten passengers were stowaways.

He says the corporation has also admitted to safety concerns that had been raised by the Coast Guard.