New Zealand is facing the threat of losing its last container ship under the national flag, as Swire Shipping considers a proposal to cease operations of the coastal container service Pacifica Shipping.
The focus is on the vessel Moana Chief, which has been operating under the New Zealand flag in the Pacifica network for the past seven years. Swire has stated that the vessel is scheduled to leave New Zealand at the end of July for routine dry docking in Asia, as there are no suitable facilities for docking in the country.
The proposed cessation of operations would leave the country without its last container ship under the New Zealand flag and with a local crew engaged in coastal shipping. The Maritime Union of New Zealand has called this event a "catastrophic milestone" for economic resilience and has urged reform of Section 198 of the Maritime Transport Act, which it claims allows international ships to carry domestic cargo by right.
Pacifica has long been the main operator of coastal container shipping in New Zealand, moving full container loads between the ports of the North and South Islands and complementing road and rail transport. The company previously mentioned two container ships under the New Zealand flag: Moana Chief with a capacity of 1,700 TEU and Takutai Chief with a capacity of 1,300 TEU, although the latter was decommissioned in 2024.
The loss of Moana Chief would leave New Zealand without a container ship under the national flag at a time when many governments are reassessing issues of maritime sustainability, fuel security, and strategic fleet capacity.
