Shipping Minister Papaliitele Unasa Niko Lee Hang told Parliament, the grant is worth US$23 million and it is for a new replacement ferry to service the inter-Samoa link with American Samoa.
Aside from the ‘Lady Naomi’, the Samoa Shipping Corporation is also looking at a bigger and faster ferry to service the inter-island domestic route between Mulifanua and Salelologa.
That vessel should be operational in time for the 2021 General Elections to cater for voters heading to the Big Island of Savai’i to cast their ballots.
