Inter-island trips will commence this Sunday but are operating to a new schedule.

The Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of the Samoa Shipping Corporation (S.S.C.), Leiataua Samuel Phineas, told the Samoa Observer that the new schedules will help students and workers travelling to the big island on weekends. 

"[The] new schedule which will commence this coming Sunday," said Leiataua. 

"The normal schedule we had before the ban was [...] four trips for our Lady Samoa between the two islands on Sunday. 

"[They departed at] 10 am from Salelologa, 12 pm from Mulifanua then 2 pm from Salelologa and 4 pm from Mulifanua.

"But as you know we now have two bigger ships operating at the moment and we can't have them both at one place, so there will be additional trips for our Samoa Express II. 

"Samoa Express will leave Mulifanua at 10 am on Sunday and will return from Savai'i at 4 pm, to assist in bringing over our students and workers who travelled over to Savai'i during the weekend."

The new schedules for the inter-island travel on Sundays are part of the amendments to the states of emergency orders made by the new Government.

The order has been relaxed in a bid to assist the private sector. 

In April last year, the former Government banned inter-island travel on Sundays as part of its preventative measures to mitigate risks associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The former administration eased the ban earlier this year allowing two ferry trips between the two islands on Sunday. 

The Sunday inter-island travel ban that was enforced nine months ago has finally been lifted allowing one ferry service from Savai’i to Upolu on the day.

Other amendments made to the emergency orders include the return of early morning markets on Sunday with business hours now running from 4 am to 9 am and plans on negotiating in a travel bubble with New Zealand. 

According to the new orders in place, it noted preparations on a partnership for a travel bubble with New Zealand.

It is also considering a weekly flight between American Samoa and Apia while monitoring the health requirements of the travellers before departure. 

However, the Minister of Health, Valasi Tafito has said the new Government’s priority is to fully vaccinate the country's eligible population, before plans are finalised to open a travel bubble with New Zealand.