Travellers between the Upolu and Savaii can find comfort while waiting for a ferry after a major facelift at the domestic port in Savaii with the refurbishment of the departure lounge and entertainment area. 

The upgrade project was instrumented by the Samoa Ports Authority (S.P.A.) and was officially launched on Thursday this week to coincide with their 25^th anniversary celebration. 

According to a press statement from S.P.A., the upgrade work included the refurbishment of the departure lounges with comfortable seats and provision of television sets for entertainment, the improvement of pensioners’ lounges and business class suites, the construction of new shops for the private businesses, installation of a new fence and reconstruction of the car parking areas.

Cabinet Ministers led by the Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure (M.W.T.I.), Olo Fiti Vaai ferried to the big island of Savaii to celebrate with residents the successful completion of the project. 

Since the official handover of the domestic ports in Mulifanua and Salelologa from the Samoa Shipping Corporation on the 1 October 2022, the Authority started with the upgrade project with Mulifanua Port being the first.

The Mulifanua work was completed in July 2023, and the Salelologa work commenced soon after and was just completed.

The Minister for M.W.T.I. also presented a cheque of $5,000 from S.P.A. to the Mapuipulotu organisation during the opening ceremony at Savaii. 

This is in addition to another $6000 that was also handed to the Mapuifagalele Home of the Aged.