Samoa’s plans for a new inter-island ferry have taken another turn, with the government now considering leasing or selling the Aurora V, which was scheduled to arrive in Samoa last November but had its purchase cancelled in January.

Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt said in his press conference that the vessel, originally intended for the Upolu–Savaiʻi route, will not be used. Instead, the government is looking at ways to recover what the prime minister has said is now estimated to be about "SAT$20 million spent through the Samoa Ports Authority (SPA)."

“In order to get our money back, we need to lease the vessel out,” Laaulialemalietoa said, adding that selling the ferry remains an option, particularly if there is interest from buyers. The prime minister said the vessel would need to be completed before it could be leased on the international market. However, he said the government would not risk deploying the ferry in Samoa, citing advice that raised concerns about its safety.

“The vessel might come and then split in half and kill many people like the Titanic,” he said.

The Aurora V was initially acquired under SPA, with the expectation it would be operated by the Samoa Shipping Corporation (SSC) to improve passenger and vehicle transport between the country’s two main islands.

Laaulialemalietoa said former Works, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Toelupe Poumulinuku Onesemo had been tasked with locating the vessel and reporting on its condition, as authorities continue efforts to verify its status.

At the same time, the government is pursuing an alternative, with an associate minister currently travelling to secure a smaller replacement ferry expected to carry about 20 vehicles and 100 passengers.

The latest developments follow earlier comments from Seatransport Pty Ltd chairman Dr Stuart Ballantyne, the ferry’s designer, who said the government had cancelled the purchase despite paying about 80 per cent of the contract price. He has strongly defended the vessel, describing its catamaran design as safer, more efficient and better suited to local conditions than existing ferries.

Opposition leader Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi has also publicly raised concerns about the vessel’s safety and previously challenged the designer of the US$5 million (about SAT$13 million)  Ballantyne to provide proof of insurance coverage, where Ballantyne hit back, saying the ferry is safe.

Ballantyne also suggested that the decision to cancel was influenced by political disagreements, a claim not directly addressed by the government. Samoa Shipping Corporation has previously rejected claims about the safety of its fleet, maintaining that all vessels are certified and regularly inspected.