PFL HISTORY

Pacific Forum Line (PFL) is the shipping line and logistics solutions provider created by the Pacific Island nations for the Pacific Island people.

For nearly half a century, PFL has been the hub through which regional trade and development in the Pacific Islands has been channelled, encouraging regional development.

We were formed in 1978 by 12 Pacific Island countries. It was a major step forward for the Island nations who, seven years earlier, got together to form the South Pacific Forum (SPF), an inter-governmental organisation that aims to enhance cooperation and trade among the countries and territories of Oceania.

The Forum changed its name in 1999 to the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), to reflect the Oceania-spanning membership of both North and South Pacific Island countries, but its mission to enhance the economic and social wellbeing of the people of the Pacific remains.

The creation of PFL was a major step in this mission. The Island nations believed in a shipping line that would meet their own special needs. So PFL was set the objectives to:

• Ensure regular shipping services
• Offer services that encourage economic development in the South Pacific region
• And operate as a viable commercial entity

To achieve those goals represents a challenge in such a diverse geographical region as the Pacific and has required PFL to evolve in order to meet our goals while maintaining our commercial strength. That strength became assured by two significant changes in 2012 and 2013. The PIF nations who were shareholders of PFL had to decide on the future direction when a takeover offer was received.

The Government of Samoa triggered its pre-emptive right to match the takeover offer and acquire all the shares of the other shareholders on the same terms. This ensured PFL would remain focused on Pacific Island needs. The Samoa Government then moved to put PFL on a firm financial footing the next year by selling a 50% interest to Neptune Pacific Line, with Neptune Pacific using its shipping experience to have operational control of the line.

Thanks to a new shipping line involved, with vast experience in the Pacific region, PFL could maintain operations without being hindered by bureaucracy. PFL was able to evolve with more streamlined services and yet retain the close, personal links with customers that have been the backbone of our existence. The move also maintained stability in the Pacific trades, which was reassuring to shippers who had just seen the collapse of a regional competitor and subsequent unrest in the market.

It provided natural cohesion between the operations of the two lines. PFL has traditional strength in Fiji, Tonga, PNG and American Samoa from where a lot of fish meal is shipped to Australia, and particularly strong in Apia, Western Samoa - our biggest market . Neptune Pacific had complementary strength in Fiji, Nauru, Norfolk Island, Vanuatu and the Solomons. Both lines have strength in New Zealand and Australia. PFL often also operates alone to certain markets such as Papua New Guinea.

The two brands of PFL and Neptune Pacific began to work together in the market, with our traditional loyal customer bases. Together, we are stronger than ever … Big enough to get things done but not too big to care.

THE LINE THAT CARES

When we talk about “our people” we don’t just mean the staff at PFL – we include our customers. Over the years we have developed a focus on service standards and on what the communities in our core markets need.

 That’s because the Pacific Island trades are unique. A lot of relationships with our customers are personal. Some we have dealt with for many years and they come back to us because we know them and they know us. Business can often be done on first-name terms with customers working with staff who know their business inside out. We treat all our customers with respect whether it is sole traders, export houses or freight forwarders.

 Big international lines follow a “big is better” philosophy but in the Pacific, big isn’t necessarily better. People in the islands may not relate to making anonymous online bookings — particularly in parts of the Pacific where internet reception can be sparse. With our personal connection to customers our teams handle the end-to-end movement of their cargo. We don’t just take the cargo we also help with bookings, Customs clearances and solutions for project cargoes and we do so speaking the languages of the Islands.. 

 With PFL, there are no problems, just solutions and we're focused on meeting challenges head on.

GOING THE EXTRA MILE

Top quality customer service means thinking of customers during the hard times, not just when everything is running smoothly.

We keep our customers informed with what is happening with their freight, particularly if difficulties have to be overcome. We respect that they have a business to run and orders to fulfil. They need to know what is happening and when shipments will arrive. It is important to get on the front foot and let them know if a difficulty has arisen. Our ethic is to always be up-front with them.

Where possible, we will try and support our customers to find new markets. We work with Government initiatives to help bring about results, such as supporting a cooperative venture in Apia. We are pleased to see trade growth happening in the Pacific. Exports from Fiji and Tonga. are increasing, for example, and PFL are happy to step up to assist further growth.

GIVING BACK TO THE ISLANDS

We try to give back to our communities. We are big on philanthropy in the islands, supporting sports teams, charities, victim support and disability groups. Our philosophy is “what can we do to help the customer” … not just with their cargo, but with their quality of life.

OUR LATEST EXPANSION

PFL’s network, alongside its sister line Neptune Pacific, continues to expand.

May 2024 has seen the latest chapter in this expansion, with three new service strings that offer fixed-day weekly services giving more direct calls, greater frequency and faster transits to South Pacific, New Zealand and Australian markets.

The securing of fixed-day berthing windows in the ports of Tauranga and Auckland has unlocked the door to a reconfiguration of our service offering.

In the New Zealand market, the NZPac service offers a fixed-day, single-string weekly departure from Auckland and Tauranga to Suva, Lautoka and Apia, and a fortnightly fixed-day single-string sailing to and from Pago Pago and Nuku’alofa from New Zealand. Three ships are deployed in the 1700-TEU class with 250 reefer plugs. In addition to the two direct NZ calls, there is a coastal feeder from Lyttelton, Nelson and Napier.

On the Tasman service, the old AusPac has been replaced by slot charters on ANL’s TranzTas and ANZ Shuttle services. These provide a double-loop, fixed-day weekly service. The southern loop has calls to Sydney, Melbourne, Auckland and Tauranga. The northern loop rotates Brisbane, Newcastle, Auckland (fortnightly) and Tauranga.

A new AusPac service features a two-ship vessel-sharing agreement (VSA) with Swire Shipping. It sails fixed-day fortnightly connecting, Melbourne and Brisbane (and monthly from Newcastle) to Noumea, Lautoka, Suva and Port Vila, with transhipment at Suva to a number of smaller island trades.

In total, PFL serves 10 countries and 17 ports in the South Pacific, including Fiji (Suva and Lautoka), Samoa (Apia), American Samoa (Pago Pago), Tonga (Nuku’alofa), the Cook Islands (Rarotonga and Aitutaki), French Polynesia (Papeete), New Caledonia (Noumea) and Papua New Guinea (Lae and Motukea Island). Both New Zealand and Australia have their own dedicated service strings.

Shippers know what PFL stands for and that's putting the heart in South Pacific shipping ❤