A new $66.74 million passenger vessel funded by the Japan government has been officially named MV Lady Naomi 60, Samoa's Minister of Transport has declared.

The ship will succeed MV Lady Naomi that has serviced the Samoa and American Samoa route for over two decades.  

The former Administration initially changed the name of the new vessel from MV Lady Naomi to MV Lady Samoa IV. However, the Minister of Works Transport and Infrastructure, Olo Fiti Va'ai told the parliament last week that it's important to be consistent with the naming of domestic and international vessels. 

"The name Lady Samoa is particularly for vessels servicing the Mulifanua to Salelologa route," Olo said. 

"As for our international passenger vessel servicing the Samoa and American Samoa route, it is called Lady Naomi so as the Minister and the Government of the day, I hereby declare that this new vessel that will replace the Lady Naomi, will be named Lady Naomi 60 to also mark the celebration of our 60 years of independence this year."

Olo then accused the former minister of works transport and infrastructure, Tapunu'u Niko Lee Hang of changing the name of the vessel to Lady Samoa IV. 

However, Tapunu’u rejected the accusation and said that the new Government can change the name if they want as they are the ones in power. 

The former minister then suggested removing “60” from the name of the vessel and call it “MV PM Naomi” after Samoa's first female Prime Minister, Fiame Naomi Mata'afa. 

But Olo took the floor and responded, saying that it would be better to remove the letters “PM” and replace it with "Queen Naomi".

The new vessel was officially launched in April in Hiroshima, Japan at the Setoda Shipyard of Naikai Zosen Corporation and will replace the MV Lady Naomi. It was built with funding from Japan’s grant aid assistance program. 

The MV Lady Samoa IV features an environment-friendly design with consideration for passenger comfort, advanced technology throughout and is equipped to handle a wide variety of cargo shipments. Its overall length is 48metres, international gross tonnage of 1,130 tons and a complement of 297 (280 passengers and 17 crew). 

The vessel is scheduled to arrive in Samoa in September this year, according to the Minister and not August as initially announced.