Pacific Forum Line
Encyclopedia
Pacific Forum Line is a multi-government run shipping line, an example of regional co-operation among Pacific Forum nations. It was born from concern over the deterioration of traditional island tramp services due to containerisation. Several studies showed that a South Pacific Regional Shipping Service was viable and Pacific Forum Line set sail in 1978.

As both a shipping company and an instrument for regional development, PFL’s charter charges the Line with the following responsibilities:
  • To ensure regular shipping services.
  • To offer a modern service that encourages economic development in the South Pacific Region.
  • To contain freight rates.
  • To operate a viable shipping service.


The Line’s goal has always been to maximise efficiencies so that a modest profit is returned while also keeping freight rates at realistic levels to help foster Island trade. The Line’s customers are offered commercial stability and regular reliable shipping service.

The twelve shareholders of Pacific Forum Line are the governments of:
  • Cook Islands
    Cook Islands
    The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

  • Fiji
    Fiji
    Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

  • Kiribati
    Kiribati
    Kiribati , officially the Republic of Kiribati, is an island nation located in the central tropical Pacific Ocean. The permanent population exceeds just over 100,000 , and is composed of 32 atolls and one raised coral island, dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres, straddling the...

  • Marshall Islands
    Marshall Islands
    The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...

  • Nauru
    Nauru
    Nauru , officially the Republic of Nauru and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country in Micronesia in the South Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Kiribati, to the east. Nauru is the world's smallest republic, covering just...

  • New Zealand
    New Zealand
    New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

  • Niue
    Niue
    Niue , is an island country in the South Pacific Ocean. It is commonly known as the "Rock of Polynesia", and inhabitants of the island call it "the Rock" for short. Niue is northeast of New Zealand in a triangle between Tonga to the southwest, the Samoas to the northwest, and the Cook Islands to...

  • Papua New Guinea
    Papua New Guinea
    Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...

  • Samoa
    Samoa
    Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...

  • Solomon Islands
    Solomon Islands
    Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...

  • Tonga
    Tonga
    Tonga, officially the Kingdom of Tonga , is a state and an archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean, comprising 176 islands scattered over of ocean in the South Pacific...

  • Tuvalu
    Tuvalu
    Tuvalu , formerly known as the Ellice Islands, is a Polynesian island nation located in the Pacific Ocean, midway between Hawaii and Australia. Its nearest neighbours are Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa and Fiji. It comprises four reef islands and five true atolls...


All have equal voting rights, though each has a different financial stake in the company (eg New Zealand owns 23%).

Pacific Forum Line Limited the parent, is registered in Apia, Samoa and the operating arm – Pacific Forum Line (N.Z) Limited is located in Auckland, New Zealand. Pacific Forum Line has also set up agency divisions in many of the ports they service.

Pacific Forum Line vessels operate on five routes that connect the Pacific Islands to New Zealand and Australia and provide an important South Pacific Inter-island link. PFL carries containerised and break-bulk cargo on the New Zealand and Australian trade vessels. In addition, to and from Australia bulk liquids are also carried in purpose built tanks.

Possible sale

An extraordinary shareholders' meeting in March 2008 rejected any proposal to sell the company, but a New Zealand newspaper article said that John MacLennan who has been the CEO for 22 years had previously been in contact with directors of the Singapore-based shipping line PIL and had asked if they were interested in acquiring Pacific Forum The PFL ships include Forum Rarotonga and Thor Elisabeth; revenue was $59 million and net assets $15.6 million.
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