A businessman from Salelologa, Savai'i is undecided on how he will use the 31-year-old Pasefika Express vessel which he bought from the Samoa Shipping Corporation.

He purchased the ship after it was put out for sale on the public market on an "as is basis" in March this year. 

Papali'i Tomasi Mariner is the new owner of the Pasifika Express, which is a inter-island ferry that was built in 1991 and was used as an alternative vessel, to transport people and cargo between Upolu and Savai'i. 

The businessman confirmed, in response to questions from the Samoa Observer, that he purchased it for personal reasons but is still not sure how he will use the vessel. 

The S.S.C. General Manager Leiataua Samuel Phineas told the Savali newspaper that Papali'i was the sole interested buyer who responded to the call. 

The public tender notice was issued by the S.S.C. in March this year and interested buyers had until the 15 April 2022 to make submissions. 

However, this newspaper understands that at the closing of the EOI deadline, no interested bidders made submissions and the corporation were preparing to convert the vessel into a fish aggregate device by sinking it. 

But the Salelologa businessman, Papali'i responded to the call and bought the vessel from the shipping company. Attempts to get comments from Leiataua on Wednesday were unsuccessful. 

Initially, Papali'i said he wanted to use the vessel for "fishing purposes", telling this newspaper: "I didn't really know that the vessel was on the market."

"However, when I found out the shipping company had plans to convert the vessel into a fish aggregating device by sinking it, I was interested and responded to the call. 

"I had plans to use the vessel as a fishing boat but with the bad condition of the vessel, we are not so sure whether it would be okay to be used as a fishing vessel. 

Papali'i claimed that the vessel is not in good condition as it is an old and needs to be refurbished. 

"That's why we are still trying to think of how we are going to use it for. I've done an inspection of the vessel and there are a lot of missing parts and leakages that needs fixing so right now we are not so sure how we are going to use the vessel for."

Papali'i also refused to disclose how much it cost him to purchase the vessel from its former owner the S.S.C. 

MV Pasefika Express used to be owned by Tokelau and was servicing Tokelau delivering cargo and passengers. In 2014 the Government of Tokelau donated the vessel to the S.S.C. which it used in its domestic route to carry 60 passengers following repairs and maintenance work.

The vessel was then written off as of no use to the corporation for cargo or passenger purposes and was then approved by the S.S.C. Board and the Government to be donated to the National University of Samoa’s Maritime School for their students' practical training and assessments. However, due to limited financial support for the vessel's operations the offer was rejected by the N.U.S. administration.