29 Nov 2017

StarKist in discussions to use cold storage at Pago Pago

1:00 pm on 29 November 2017

American Samoa's StarKist Samoa cannery is in discussions with US-based Tri Marine International for the use of a cold storage facility in Pago Pago.

Cannery, American Samoa

Cannery, American Samoa Photo: Supplied

StarKist, which is the largest private employer in the territory, has been trying to secure government land to build a freezer storage facility to expand its operation for a number of years.

But earlier this year, the government denied the cannery's request for use of government land at the shipyard facility at Satala.

The state of the art, multi million dollar freezer facility at Pago Pago was opened almost two years ago, but Tri Marine shut down its cannery operation there last December.

Industry officials said the multi-million-dollar storage facility is one of the best options for StarKist because it is brand new, but the use of it as a permanent solution depends on whether Tri Marine plans to reopen its operations in American Samoa.

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