DESPITE warnings from the authorities, some shipping companies continue to overload passengers and cargo in their vessels.
Last week, passengers travelling from Suva to Vanua Levu were offloaded and forced to wait for about two hours at Narain Jetty in Walu Bay as maritime officers counted passengers. Passenger Sinu Talei said some of them waited from 8pm until 10pm at the jetty.
"We got in the vessel and after a while, we were offloaded again because the officers had to recount the number of passengers on board," Mrs Talei said.
MV Goundar Shipping services owner George Goundar said they had never, at any time overloaded their vessel.
"It's just common sense and no ship owner will even think of overloading his or her vessel because we are also concerned about the passengers' safety," he said. "At the end of the day, it's the passengers who will suffer."