cargo ship travel south pacific

There are freighters, and there are freighters. But the fleet of ships that sail among the island groups in the South Pacific and Micronesia—copra boats, island traders, government field service ships, mission boats, and inter-island ferries—are rarely mentioned and are largely unknown to travel agents. They lie ready and willing to transport passengers into the “back of beyond.” So if in your round-the-world travels you want to go where tourists never tread, try hitching a ride on a local cargo ship. It’s easier than you might think. Let’s start in the South Pacific.

French Polynesia

The inter-island ship docks are a little beyond Papeete (on Tahiti ), where the land hooks out to form the harbor. Taxi out there and have a look at whatever ships are in port. Stroll aboard any vessel that looks interesting and ask where they’re going, for how long, the fare, and if you can see one of their cabins. (It helps if you speak a little French, but you can always make yourself understood.) If a certain ship appeals to you, go to their shipping office. This is what you’ll find:

To the Society Islands (the islands to the west of Tahiti—Huahine, Raiatea, Tahaa, Bora Bora, and Maupiti): The ships of the Compagnie Francais Maritime de Tahiti make 4- to 6-day voyages to most of the islands. Most ships do not supply food, so come aboard with a relaxed attitude and plenty of rations (which are easily obtained in Papeete).

To the Tuamotus

The 69 islands of this group of jewel-like atolls lie to the east of Tahiti and cover an immense patch of the ocean. To get there, check with the Compagnie Francais Maritime de Tahiti. Their ships provide cabin class or deck passage and plenty of local color but no food. A week’s voyage will run about $180. Also, be sure to check around the docks in Papeete for a copra boat and experience the warts and all of the romance of South Sea cruising. Some ships provide a cabin and meals for voyages of 10 or so days for about $250.

To the Marquesas

These rugged, green, mysteriously beautiful and remote islands 750 miles east of Tahiti bear such magical names as Nuku Hiva, Hiva Oa, and Fatu Hiva. To get to them—and to the Tuamotus as well—you’ve got two choices: By far the most comfortable one is a cargo ship named Aranui, operated by the Compagnie Polynesienne de Transport Maritime. Travel agents in the U.S. know about her. She carries 60-100 passengers in both cabin and dormitory class.

The other option is aboard a ship a bit more authentically Polynesian. The Taporo V of the Compagnie Francais Maritime de Tahiti is a trading vessel that makes a 15-day voyage to the Tuamotus and the Marquesas. Fares, including cabin and meals, come to $750. Look at the ship in Papeete.

The Cook Islands

Rarotonga, with its forested mountains, verdant coastal plain, and fringing reef, is the principal island of the group. The beauty of the island when first seen will cause a gasp. Sea travel in the Cooks is only for the hardiest and most flexible voyagers, but the benefits make the voyage more than worthwhile.

To the Northern Group (Penryhn, Manihiki, Puka Puka, and Palmerston): The Tapi Taio Shipping Company in Avarua, Rarotonga has a ship named the Tai Moana, a small, spartan vessel that makes the 800-mile run to all the islands. Because only one of them, Penhryn, has a safe lagoon and wharf, the ship must stay at sea and use whaleboats to unload cargo and passengers.

To the Southern Group (Aitutaki, Atiu, Mitiaro, and Mauke): A somewhat larger ship, the Maungeroa of the Tapi Taio Company, visits the closer islands—150 or so miles from Rarotonga.

Western Samoa

A delightful destination even if you don’t go to sea. For one elusive but wonderful opportunity write well ahead of time to the Office for Tokelau Affairs, Apia, Western Samoa and ask about the sailing dates of their chartered ship. It carries 12 cabin and 68 deck passengers on a voyage of eight to nine days and stops at each of the three atolls—Fakaofa, Nukumonu, and Atafu. None have ports, so the ship must stand off while whale boats negotiate the openings in the reef to pick up the only export, copra. Good luck to you. I’ve come close but never been successful. I keep trying.

The Kingdom of Tonga

Polynesia’s oldest monarchy consists of three main island groups—Tongatapu, the capital, Ha’apai, and Vavau.

To Ha’apai: This archipelago scattered over a large stretch of the sea about 100 miles north of Tongatapu consists of dozens of low-lying atolls. Lifuka is the administrative center. To get there by sea, check with the Shipping Corporation of Polynesia in Tongatapu and ask about the Olovaha. This ship—more inter-island ferry than cargo ship—sails from Tongatapu every Tuesday and fetches up in Lifuka 12 hours later.

The same ship leaves Lifuka in the evening and arrives at Vavau the following afternoon. I’m sure you’ll agree with the yachters who have found Vavau. They know a good thing when they see it.

The total land mass of Fiji’s 332 islands comes to about 8,000 square miles. By South Pacific standards, it’s a big, diverse country, and there's much to see and do among her beaches, mountains, towns, and cities. The harbor at Suva always has many trading vessels, inter-island boats, and copra ships tied up at the docks. As in Tahiti, walking aboard and discussing things with the captain is easy.

In Nadi, on the other side of the island from Suva, everyone knows about the glamorous cruise boats that sail off to the dozens of idyllic islands of the Yasawas and Mamanucas. However, the better and much less expensive choice is the Kaunitoni, from Suva to the Lau Group (east of Fiji, towards Tonga). On its 10-day run, the Kaunitoni makes about 12 stops at green and volcanic islands to deliver cargo and pick up copra. While the ship provides no food, cooking facilities and utensils are available.

In Port Vila on Efate Island, the capital of Vanuatu, the harbor is right in the center of town, and the vessels tied up there are available for examination. Ask around the piers about the Konanda, the Lali, and the Onma II. These and other ships like them are on the elemental side. Still, for few dollars a day, simple meals included, someone will take you to remote outer islands—places such as Malekula, where they were killing and eating each other as late as 1930, and Pentecost island, where men tie vines to their ankles and leap out of trees. You’ll be taken ashore by canoe to other islands where you’ll be stared at, smiled at, and given the chance to buy some good carvings. The outer islands of Vanuatu will stay in your memory forever.

The Solomon Islands

Honiara, on Guad-alcanal, the capital of this independent nation, offers visitors all amenities but few tourists are seen. If this is the capital, think what the myriad outer islands are like.

Go to the Coral Sea Shipping Company and ask about the sailing of the Iuminao. This ship, carrying 50 deck passengers, also has two first-class cabins, but meals are not provided. Think of it as camping in an air-conditioned cabin with a small refrigerator and a full bath. Food is easily purchased at Honiara shops. On its 3- to 4-day voyage to Gizo in the Western Provinces it makes 11 stops—all picture-postcard quality.

For other ships to remote areas visit the local yacht club in Honiara and talk to some of the members about other destinations. Maybe, as once happened to us, you’ll be invited on short cruise.

Papua New Guinea

The eastern half of the second largest island in the world includes a cluster of islands off its north coast—New Britain, New Ireland, Bougainville, Manus, The Trobriands, and scores of smaller islands. These areas, as well as the north coast of New Guinea, offer everything an adventurer or escapist might want, and one can expect a good meal, a cold drink, and a fair bed every night.

Ships can easily be found. We’ve sailed away on several of them just by approaching the captain. Ask about trips up the Sepik River, to the Trobriands, New Britain, Samarai—almost anywhere they go. Fares are reasonable, and some of the ships are quite comfortable. So it goes in the South Pacific.

The 2,100 “tiny islands” of the Pacific, mostly north of the Equator, are scattered over three million square miles of the sea between Hawaii and the Philippines and make up four new countries: The Republic of the Marshalls, The Federated States of Micronesia. The Republic of Palau, and The Northern Marianas Islands. Accommodations and food are reasonable. People are friendly. English is spoken. There are no unusual health problems. And American currency is used.

Some seasonably comfortable Government Field Service ships sail to some of the world's most remote, often exotic, islands.The best places to find the ships are Pohnpei, Yap, Majuro, and Palau. You’ll sail away with a collection of island administrators, doctors, a judge, or maybe even a dentist on working voyages. Check with the Field Service Office in each of these places. You just have to be on hand when a ship is in port. Shipping offices rarely reply to people requesting space or information.

For those who do not wish to book directly with shipping companies, Maris Freighter and Specialty Cruises and Maris Freighter Club Int'l offers a variety of voyages to many destinations. You can go from island to island. You may cross the ocean 1-way. You may even choose from around-the-world cargo ship cruise options.

TOM BOOTH is a retired dentist who, in the process of practicing his profession, lived and worked in California for years. Then, with two grown sons, he and his wife have lived, worked, and traveled in the Congo (Zaire), Australia, the South Pacific, Europe, Guam, and Hong Kong. All of this has contributed to his enthusiasm for writing. He is a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association and lives in Eugene, O R.

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Travelling on a cargo ship is a unique experience.  Whether you love the sea, are conscious of your carbon footprint, don't like flying or simply prefer to sail in a relaxed atmosphere , away from the crowds, then travelling by cargo ship is the right choice for you.

We've been doing this for over 30 years and are passionate about providing a personalised service tailored to your needs. Alas, carriage of passengers on cargo ships is discretionary and since the pandemic available vessels are in sharp decline; we cannot speculate which routes or owners might accept passengers in future.

A NUMBER OF CRUISE SHIP  'VOYAGE OPTIONS'  HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE WEBSITE TO OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE TO FLYING AND IN THE ABSENCE OF CARGO SHIP OPTIONS. THERE ARE TRANSATLANTIC, SOUTH AMERICA, SOUTH AFRICA VOYAGES, MORE WILL BE ADDED IN THE COMING WEEKS - PLEASE ASK IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC CRUISE 'VOYAGE OPTION' YOU MIGHT LIKE TO FIND WE HAVE ACCESS TO MOST LINES.

WE ARE NOT OFFERING SHORT DURATION HOLIDAY CRUISES, ONLY POINT TO POINT LINE VOYAGES WITH A PURPOSE AND IN MOST CASES ONLY ABLE TO SELL TO UK RESIDENTS AT PRESENT OWING TO RESTRICTIVE CRUISE LINE PRICING PRACTICES.

www.voyageoptions.com  (under construction), Facebook.com/voyageoptions, Twitter @voyageoptions).

Do please take some time to check our website for available routes, also our ‘Ask the Captain’ section for frequently asked questions BEFORE contacting us!

+++ NEWS +++

LAST UPDATED April  2024  

WITH A FEW EXCEPTIONS, DEEP SEA INTERNATIONAL CARGO SHIP VOYAGES ARE NO LONGER POSSIBLE AS MAJOR SHIPOWNERS AND/OR THEIR CHARTERERS HAVE INDEFINITELY WITHDRAWN FROM THIS ACTIVITY.

- No transatlantic voyages

- No Australia/New Zealand/Europe voyages

- No Europe/South America voyages

- No transpacific voyages

- No round the world voyages

- No voyages in around Asia or Oceania

- No bookable availability Europe to/from South Africa until mid 2025 (waitlist/standby only 2024 @ 6 weeks notice) 

Some short haul European, Mediterranean, Baltic are bookable however 2024 availability is limited on some routes.

French Polynesia (mv Aranui V), mv Bella Desgagnes (St Lawrence River, Canada) are available & mv St Helena global voyages supporting the Extreme E organisation are likely to be available again in 2025.

Our website is updated regularly with bookable options; please do not contact us regarding cargo voyages that are not listed!

There may be cruise ship alternatives, please ask if you have a specific voyage in mind.

Try us and travel the world your way!

Follow @CargoShipVoyage

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Freighter Travel Costs and Questions

Travel by Cargo Ship: What You Should Know about Freighter Travel

By R.F. Ahern, “The Freighterman”

LISTEN TO OUR FREIGHTER TRAVEL PODCAST EPISODE

Remember the old stories of adventurers who would hop a cargo ship to get to an exotic port of call, traveling like a sailor or Merchant Marine? Well, the good news is that it’s still possible. Travel by cargo ship continues to interest our most curious and intrepid readers.

Freighter Travel is Popular

You can travel from one port to another or around the world by freighter. It’s relatively inexpensive (compared to other cruise ships) and easy to do as more and more freighter companies come on board to offer passenger service.

Freighter Travel

Most freighters only have room for a limited number of passengers, and, while you won’t be bunking with the crew anymore, traveling by freighter is still enough of an alternative mode of transportation to keep regular cruise tourists standing in the buffet line.

Your accommodations will be quite adequate–sometimes even a reconfigured Captain’s berth! – and all your meals while at sea will be provided. But unlike a regular cruise ship, you won’t find an onboard disco or gambling casino.

On the other hand, you may have more than one-night playing cards with the crew or sitting quietly on the deck watching the stars. Some freight ships have swimming pools!

Check out these FAQs on freighter travel , provided by R.F. Ahern, “The Freighterman,” who has traveled around the world and then some by freighter ship. Then hop a freighter and sail the seven seas like a real voyager!

WHERE CAN I GO BY FREIGHTER?

You can travel from just about any major port in the world to any other port. Some freighters also go to places you’ve never even heard of. Most lines have regular routes and transatlantic crossings. Frequently you can catch a “tramp” that has no fixed ports of call. Americans cannot travel between one U.S. port and another. From South America to Asia, the ships cross all of the world’s oceans.

CAN ANYONE TRAVEL ON A FREIGHTER?

No. Usually, the upper age limit is 79, the lower is about 5 years. These upper and lower limits may vary from one shipping company to another. If you are over 65, you will generally be required to get a medical certificate from your physician certifying you are fit to travel. Pregnant women are usually not permitted.

If you have difficulty negotiating stairs, this will also preclude you from travel on a freighter. Since all of the passenger-carrying containerships are sailing under a foreign flag they are not subject to American laws requiring accommodation of disabled individuals

HOW LONG IS A FREIGHTER VOYAGE?

The average length of a freighter voyage is 40 to 50 days, though there are some shorter trips available last a couple of weeks. A roundtrip from the U.S. West Coast to Australia/New Zealand and return takes about 46 days. An around the world voyage lasts generally 80 to 100 days or more. Hong Kong China to Los Angeles USA, has an estimated average time between 18 to 20 days of transit port to port.

A westbound voyage from Los Angles, CA. to Hamburg , Germany is about 41 days.

CAN I TAKE A SEGMENTED CARGO SHIP TRIP?

Many people do not like to take a roundabout freighter travel voyage, having neither the time nor the money. Segmented trips are possible with a stopover in port for as long as you want. You can resume your voyage or fly home by plane. These kinds of voyages are popular with people who only have a couple of weeks to travel, and only want to spend some it at sea.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO TRAVEL ON A FREIGHTER?

Travel by freighter, the average cost of a voyage is just about $100.00 US per day, for a single person traveling in a single cabin. It is always more expensive for a single to book a double cabin and always cheaper per person for double occupancy of a double cabin.

There is an additional charge of about $262.00 for deviation insurance and a $12.50 customs charge per person departing or entering the country. Keep in mind that more than one owner/charter may have vessels on a given route. The fare charged by different owners on the same route can vary considerably. Shop around.

Historically, German owners have had a two-tier pricing system, with euro prices lower than the prices quoted in US dollars. If you want to convert euros to dollars, you can use a currency converter. I have been advised that American agents are striving for a single pricing system so that the cost of a voyage is exactly the same for a given ship, regardless of where the traveler calls home, or currency of payment.

HOW DO I BOOK A FREIGHTER VOYAGE?

Most travel agents do not book freighter voyages. You will have to book through an agent that specializes in freighter cruises or directly through the ship’s agent/manager. Remember that there may be voyages available that the travel agent is not advertising on the Internet or elsewhere. If you want to go on a particular voyage, ask the agent what they have available. Remember also that not all agents offer the same voyages.

WHEN SHOULD I MAKE MY TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS?

Unlike an airline, you cannot call your travel agent on a Friday evening and expect to leave on Monday (except for hopping a Tramp Voyage–covered later). Allow several months to plan your trip. I usually start early in January to arrange for a mid-April departure. However, some routes are very popular and you may have to arrange for your voyage many months ahead of your desired departure date. While some freighters depart on exact date and time, others have a window for departure. Be flexible.

New offerings are becoming available every month, so it is possible you can schedule a trip on short notice, but it is better to plan far in advance. Remain flexible with your travel plans. I recently booked a voyage only to be notified the ship I was to board in Los Angeles had grounded and would be unavailable for more than a month after my planned departure date.

Luckily, I was able to hop another ship leaving a few days earlier than I had planned.

WHAT IS A FREIGHTER TRAVEL OPTION?

An option is a period of time within which the pre-payment of a portion of the cost of a voyage must be made. Once your travel agent tenders your voyage, your agent will ask for payment of $500.00, to be paid within a couple of weeks, if you live in the US, to secure your cabin. Full payment is due usually 60 days before the ship’s departure.

If you live in Europe it is customary to be required to make a deposit equivalent to 25% of the cost of the voyage. One agent told me that it is customary in some European countries for the agent to expect payment in full once you have contracted for a voyage, even if you are required to cancel the trip.

WHAT IS A TRAMP VOYAGE

Tramps are cargo ships that have no fixed schedule or ports of call; they go where the cargo is and drop it off where it’s supposed to go. Often, tramp voyages have passenger rooms and travelers can book them. The advantage is that you can get a cheaper voyage to a remote destination at the last minute.

The downside is that you might not be able to get away from that port until another tramp comes along. Tramp voyages are often listed in booking agency’s “Last Minute Specials.”

WHAT SIZE OF SHIP IS BEST?

Having traveled on small container ships (those carrying 1,000 or fewer containers, under 15,000 d.w.t. and about 485 feet) and large ones (4,500 containers or more, over 63,000 d.w.t. and 950 feet in length) I much prefer the former. Traveling on large ships is like being on a cruise ship. By this, I mean it is very stable. The majority of the time you are unaware of the fact that you are at sea!

So, if you like the feel of the sea, think small. Another potential disadvantage of a larger ship is the possibility that it may berth at a newer pier and thus, it may be inconvenient or far away to get from the ship to the port city (for example, the Port of Kaohsiung, Taiwan ).

Large ships obviously have larger engines. Accordingly, the engine air intakes, usually on the “A” deck, generate a lot of noise outside of the vessel. These large engines produce a lot of carbon discharge, making decks D and E, where passenger cabins are usually located, quite dirty.

Video: What’s It Like Inside a Cabin on a Freighter Ship?

CAN I WORK ON A FREIGHTER FOR ALL OR PART OF MY PASSAGE?

The answer is simple. NO! Sit back and enjoy the ride.

SO WHAT CAN I DO ON A FREIGHTER?

Remember, that a freighter is a working ship and passengers are secondary. Thus, there is no such thing as a cruise director or any planned activities other than watching a VCR or doing your laundry. But there’s plenty of time to read, get some sun, hang out on the bridge. What is life on board a freighter trip like? What is the daily routine?

Meals are something I looked forward to as they provided an opportunity for some interesting conversation with the ship’s officers. Some ships have pools, often below the main deck. One smaller container ship that I was on was only able to fill the pool half full to prevent the water from sloshing out in rough weather. Bring plenty of books or your Kindle filled with reading.

You can buy all the beer and hard liquor you want to mellow out, tax-free. But, don’t expect to find your favorite Scotch or Rye whiskey on board. Selections are limited, but there is enough booze on board to keep any hardcore alcoholic happy.

WILL I GET SEASICK?

Could be. Unlike cruise ships, there are no stabilizers on a cargo ship voyage. Accordingly, there can be a significant amount of pitch and roll, depending on the size of the ship, the amount of cargo, and the weather. Most of the time, waves do not exceed 15 feet (about 3 meters), usually less.

There are two things to remember about being seasick: You feel like you are going to die and then you realize that you won’t! As a general rule, the bigger the ship and the more cargo aboard, the smoother the “ride”. I recently sailed on the Cho Yang Atlas, a 965-foot, and 4,500 T.E.U. container ship and was not even aware of the fact that I was at sea.

CAN I BRING ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES?

All ships have a 220-volt power supply. The U.S. standard is 110 volts. Accordingly, you should check to see if your computer, razor, radio, etc., have a 110-220V-option switch. If not, you will need a converter. If you are from the U.S., you will need a plug converter (square to round prongs, but you can usually find one on the ship). A small, portable, AM/FM/SW radio is nice to have along, so you can stay in touch with what’s going on in the world.

WHAT CAN I BUY ON-BOARD?

Cigarettes, beer, soft drinks, toothpaste, and the like. All transactions are in U.S. dollars, no checks, or credit cards; often the price of these items is quoted in the currency of the country of registry or vessel ownership, but there may be exceptions. There is no tax on items purchased on the high sea, however, the ship’s “slop chest” is locked while the ship is in port.

WHAT SHOULD I PACK TO WEAR?

It depends on where you are going and the time of year. Attire is very informal. Jeans, T-shirts, and shorts will work. Leave your coats and ties at home as well as any fancy dresses, unless you want to wear them ashore. Rubber-soled shoes (not boat shoes) are a must. Leather-soled shoes should be left at home. Since shoes are removed in all carpeted areas of the ship they should be easy to take on and off. This is important as often the deck is wet or has residue from the engine’s exhaust.

IS A FREIGHTER NOISY?

Not really, unless you like to hang out in the engine room. There is a much higher noise level than on a cruise ship, but, like vibration, it is minimal.

One exception is the noise generated by the engine intake fans located on the main deck or first deck. Engine exhaust noise is felt and heard on large ships, though not to the extent that it is annoying.

WHAT LANGUAGES ARE SPOKEN ABOARD SHIP?

English, but not necessarily American English. On my last cruise, the Belgian Captain spoke excellent English, but the Ukrainian officers had limited ability with English. Most of the Filipino crew had a decent command of the language.

WHAT ABOUT SHIPBOARD ETIQUETTE?

All members of the ship’s crew are addressed as “Mister” unless they tell you to call them by their first name. Do not go on the bridge without asking for permission. Usually, passengers have access to the bridge at all times.

The only exception may be during the period the harbor pilot is aboard. As you will be in an entirely new environment, it will take a few days to get a feeling for the ship and its crew.

It is a good idea to learn the name of all officers and crew (there are only 17-20) as soon as possible. It is also recommended that you learn a few words or phrases in the native language or languages of the crew members.

CAN I BRING MY PET?

No. However, you can ship your four or five favorite polo ponies from here to there in a container! Of course, the owner is required to have them accompanied by a trainer/keeper, and they will be subject to quarantine regulations.

WHAT ABOUT VISAS?

Check with your travel agent to be sure of the visa requirements of the various countries. Non-US citizens must have a visa to enter the United States by cargo ship. Australia requires a visa for all foreign nationals arriving by ship. Ditto for China , but not Hong Kong. The fact that you never leave the vessel is of no consequence. Most countries do not even bother to stamp your passport, though they do check it.

It has been my experience that the Captain will ask for your passport after you board and you may be invited to his cabin for a “chat” with immigration officials after docking, though in this is not the case in most large ports, such as Hong Kong.

Again, it depends on where you are going. No immunizations are required for travel between Europe, the U.S., Canada , and Australia. However, for the transit of either Panama or Suez Canal, you will need an inoculation for yellow fever and cholera. In the U.S., these will cost $50 to $60 each. To find physicians or clinics in your area, call your local Public Health Department. Your travel agent can advise you as to the inoculations you will require.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Plan what you are going to need on your voyage; bring a short wave radio, DVDs, reading material, a camera, or whatever. A laptop computer makes for a handy companion. The ship might have one available for your use, but don’t count on it.
• Once your ship leaves port, that’s it; there is no going back. Ships have many stairs and they are steep, so hold on at all times. A few have elevators. After a couple of days (weeks) you will get used to them (smile)
• When booking a cabin, get one as high as possible in the superstructure, assuming you have available options. If you do not, containers will block your forward view. Almost always cabins are outside with a view forward, port, or starboard; some have two views.
• Of course, the downside to higher cabins is that you will have to go down several flights of stairs to get to the officer’s mess, which is usually located on the poop deck (one deck above the main deck on ships not stowing containers aft of the superstructure) or the main deck. Usually, passenger cabins are on the fourth or fifth deck.
• Visit this great updated 2020 Freighter Travel site
• Tipping is optional. Other than the mess steward, there is no one to tip other than the cook, and then only if the food is exceptional. The steward may make up your bed and empty your wastebasket daily; then again, it might be only on a weekly basis, so tip accordingly, if at all.
• If you need information about shipping cargo, such as your car (in a container), household goods, etc., here is the place to start to get information. Cargo can be transported on the same vessel you travel on, however, you are probably better off shipping with the line usually used by the freighter forwarding company.

Freighter Travel in South America

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60 thoughts on “ Freighter Travel Costs and Questions ”

I was looking at a short trip from Brisbane Australia to New Zealand in the North Island/Auckland.,Tauranga in September..are there many options to do this and do I have time to do this?

“These faqs are helpful if you ask me. They answer all the questions that one might have, so I am delighted that I read all about these faqs and whatnot. “

Great info.,worth the read.

Do you know if there is any chance of me traveling w my Harley Davidson on a ship from eastern US to Panama or Costa Rica ?

You post is not originally this taken directly from Cargotravel.com

Travel by cargo ship with dog with cargoholidays. No. However, you can ship your four or five favorite polo ponies from here to there in a container! Of course, the owner is required to have them accompanied by a trainer/keeper, and they will be subject to quarantine regulations

How may I travel between US NY-NJ Ports and Iran Ports? any experience, recommendations, or guidance?

Very doubtful you can do this on a freighter. Too many restrictions plus Covid.

thanks for this article. Very helpful. Would love information about How to get to the US (east coast) from Sweden. (Im in Stockholm). Any freighters still leaving from Gothenburg to the US that accept passengers? or we have to find another out- port going across the Atlantic? thx Ewa

I am wanting to go Capetown SA from the US. I live in the Baltimore Washington area with that be possible

do they have ship longbeach to manila

can one take a dog/pet with you on a container ship? i am trying to find an alternative to putting my dog on a 24 hour flight.

No, you can’t bring any pets on a cargo ship. NO.

I think you need to be a little more clear. Maybe something like “the one I went on does not allow it” or “Its a standard that every single cargo ship I know of does not allow it”.

When I read your answer it makes me believe that your just saying no to the cargo ship you have been on and other companies may allow it. But then again I know less than you about this industry… in fact I know nothing.

Finding a cargo ship is the last effort I have before either giving up my 2 dogs or chartering a private jet just to move them to south America from the US. No airline will take them and you can not drive it.

“No, you can’t bring any pets on a cargo ship. NO.”

How could it possibly be any clearer that pets aren’t allowed on cargo ships?

The guy posting this article is an expert on cargo ships… and I think it’s pretty clear where he says: NO you cannot bring pets onboard the cargo ship. As for shipping your dogs via the airline, I’m not sure why it would be a 24 hour flight – can’t you put the dogs (per standard procedure) in the dog crate area of the plane, and be flying on that same flight, which will NOT take 24 hours?

what is the point travelling like this? This is the most expensive way, not cheap at all.

Hi I am looking for a cargo freighter to travel from South Africa to Australia with motor bike at the end of 2022?

Back in 1971 I took a cargo ship from South Africa to Australia with my BSA Bantam on which I actually ended up going round the world. i was allowed 40 cub.ft in the hold as accompanied ‘baggage’ and my bike was approx that size. It actually went in a room, never in a crate. And that was true of: Bombay to Mombasa; S. Africa to Australia; Australia to nZ; nZ to Singapore and Bangkok to Hong Kong. I was always a passenger. What the conditions are nowadays I know not. But good luck.

A FOURTY CUBIC FEET BSA BANTAM – Really? My ex-Bro-in-Law worked Tankeres as a Second Officer back in the day for SHELMEX in their first SUPER TANKERS and both my sister and sometimes his Mum and Dad travelled with him. I believe ‘the missus’ went free but Mum and Dad had to pay. My son was an Officer i the RAF for eight byears and I used to visit heim regularly [I was myself and ex-EArmourer Sergeant] for the odd weekend. Atbthe time [the late 90’s it cost nhim the princely sum for rather excellent Full Board and Lodgings for me from Friday Evening to Monday Morning ££5.00 aand bar prices wer about 1/5th and probably still are of normal Pub Prices. I monce went nto mthe Officers Mess New Years Eve Party. It had to be experienced to be believed – a WHOLE BLOODY FUNFAIR for starters. Talk about the AIR STAFF letting their hair down on the Bumper Cars!!!!

Are there any cargo ships taking passengers from Southern Africa to Australia?

Is it safe for a woman over age 60 for a voyager? Are most ports are safe to travel to during the day?

I have the same question and don’t see any answers

How reliable is the Satellite Hotspot? Is it safe for a woman over 60 to travel solo? How do you find out the layout of the ship before choosing the cabin?

No need to play the gender card. Everyone is welcome subject to their age limits, and if it wasn’t safe, they wouldn’t go.

Thank you for this article. I was especially interested in the difficulty of moving around the ship. As a former navy man I forgot just how hard it was to go up and down the stairs. At my current age, I do not believe I could do that much anymore. Too bad.

This was an interesting article. I recall a long time ago hearing about such methods of travel and must have just forgotten about it. I was just reminded in an old movie. There were a lot of good comments that answered some questions. I also watched the video of the fellow showing us his room. It looked quite adequate and not at all cramped. I’m 72 years old but I don’t look it and I’m in good physical condition. I did read that some of these companies do have age restrictions, and I can understand why. But going up and down some steep stairs isn’t an issue for me and I do swim every day in my pool. Getting a certificate for this from my doctor wouldn’t pose a problem. I have to say that taking a cruise on a regular cruise ship has had no appeal to me. I’ve watched videos and talked with family who do that and it’s just not something I want. They seem way too crowded and just not for me. I do however enjoy a nice Hindricks and tonic, smooth jazz, and interesting conversation. Those things seem to be plentiful on one of these ships. I would have to bring my own Hindricks (gin), my laptop, some reading material and maybe my Xbox. It all sounds much more interesting to me than the alternative. Going up on the bridge, conversations with the Captain and crew, that all sounds great. I’m glad I found this article.

Who or where can I get detailed info on what freighter ships offer this service from Los Angeles to Manila/Cebu Philippines? I don’t even know where to start. TIA for any info on this subject!

I’m in the same Boat, no pun intended. I want to go to the Philippines from either Portland Oregon, or Seattle Washington but can find no one who ships there. I cannot believe no vessels travel from Major US Ports such as Portland and Seattle. Any help you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, Mike

HOW OLD is this article?? Its telling people to bring videotapes to watch and talked about the cost of film. How many people use a film camera anymore, 1 out of a hundred? Who has videotapes lying around?!?!

Yes, that story was published in 2000, but we have edited the copy so it’s been updated for 2021. Thank you, dear reader.

You are so polite to some of these commenters.

Many tnx for the response. Can you please update what online services like wifi and email are available???

Vickie and Paul say: what are you doing looking at cargo ship cruises? If that’s you… Please write. Paul

Hi I am looking for a cargo freighter to travel from Vancouver to China the shortest route cause I can’t take flight due to my conditions. Thanks

Hello Zoey, Did you make it from Vancouver to China by ship? I’m trying to do the same trip. Would like to know more.

Thank you so much!

I am hoping to travel from the Seattle area to Costa Rica on a cargo ship… can anybody tell me if the ports in Costa Rica are open now (August 2020) and how can I travel in one of these ships? Thank you for your help!

I had no idea that from Europe to the US, shipments can take about 41 days. Since we just started offering an online shipping option, I wonder if we should look into a contract with a port agent to help us get our products shipped without too much delay between getting an order placed. I would imagine it would be easiest to get a warehouse in the countries we will ship to and then fulfill orders from those warehouses.

Do cargo ships have internet access? Thanks

yes they almost always do. But it might be slow and it will cost money in most cases.

Hey R.F. Ahern and fellow boaters! Thank you for the article I really enjoyed reading it and I did not know that you can travel on a cargo ship! That’s really amazing. Me and my husband have a world travel vlog called Dawn Hunters where we post our sailing adventures and also tips for travelers (well, currently we are fixing our 1985 steel motorsailer, so there is much more boatyard adventures for now). I’ve just started special series for aspiring digital nomads and posted a video called Digital Nomad Series – How to Travel for Free and Get Paid – Hopscotch the Globe on a Boat about crewseekers so you might want to see the video if you are looking into boat travels – they have super cool and unexpected opportunities for cheap or even free travels on boats. They do NOT have cargo ships over there, but maybe not everyone here wants to go on one? Anyways I thought that might be useful for some people!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTpW5uIJE7E

Also would love to collaborate on the blog/vlog to make an interview or a podcast for some interesting “boaters” stories if you are interested – shoot us an email.

Thank you for sharing! Dawn Hunters

Wow, I never knew this! I wish I were not so prone to seasickness, this sounds incredible. I would definitely go for the experience, the opportunity to visit other countries and take in the sights and sounds, plus the operations of a cargo ship are seriously impressive.

I am trying to get to Southeast Asia from Saudi Arabia. I am trying to leave in May. Because of COVID the airlines are grounded. Is there anyway I can book on a cargo ship?

great site thanks for all the info. I am looking to go from Barcelona to USA May of 2021, thanks in advance for any help

I have read that one can’t go to Hawai’i, Alaska, or any of the US insular terretories (Guam, Northern Marianas, American Samoa, Puerto Rico, USVI), by freighter because US-flagged freighters don’t take passengers, and foreign-flagged freighters (try saying that three times fast!) are not allowed to take passengers (or cargo, for that matter) between US ports.

However, would it be possible to take a freighter to these places from a Mexican or Canadian port?

Not that I’m a professional traveler, but why pay over $4k to travel in less luxury, and for over a month? You could go an an actual cruise for that money, or if you’re purely looking to travel, fly for a whole lot less. Is it just for the experience?

JR, I think the appeal of freighter travel is that you don’t have to deal with the huge crowds on a regular cruise ship, if you just want time to write, think, look at the ocean and chill totally, that’s the attraction. Yes it’s costly because the cruises are longer!

Some of us hate to fly.

Outside of the mental/health appeal of slow travel, it is much more environmentally friendly (as freighters carry cargo regardless of passenger, so your journey is essentially carbon neutral). Additionally, it is more expensive than a flight, but you’re also paying for several days of lodging and food.

I think some people are “simple” and don’t want luxury or to be pampered. I learned a lot about myself and personality over the years. I hold multiple college degrees—including a post-graduate degree in business. However, I learned and realized that I am happiest and most satisfied working on blue collar skilled trade industries. I learned that I don’t like suits and ties. I don’t like snooty people. I don’t like all the pomp and circumstance of luxury. I enjoy being around everyday working people. I think it will always be that way no matter how much money I have. I feel out of place in luxury places, but I feel right at home around everyday people. I love quiet and having lots of reflection time. I wear working man’s jeans and work boots everywhere I go. I think that living with humility and humbleness makes me feel comfortable.

Are there often any medicines not allowed on freighters?

lookin to travel from Miami to Portsmouth any ideas of cost and travel time

What about wifi?

Forget about wifi!

If one must, one can always bring a satellite phone or a satellite modem. With a satellite phone you pay per minute. With a satellite modem you pay for data. Both can be expensive so I highly suggest you not use, say, a satellite modem to watch YouTube videos or Netflix, but you can do email or chat or even place a phone call via GooglePhone or free VoIP Calls top actual phone numbers via TextNow.com and you can link your laptop to it!! So, you don’t have to be fully off-line. Or you could, if you must, here’s a “low-cost” option: https://satellitephonestore.com/catalog/sale/details/iridium-go-252 No, I don’t work for them. lol -but it’s the type of thing I’ve seen. Good for emails and chat or iMessaging. Just don’t do big Powder Puff attachments. lol Enjoy!

Did the Satellite modem or phone work out as you expected? Is it reliable? Which part of the world did you travel to? Does the cargo ship has wifi for their staff or captain?

I’m planning on a move to Japan and would like to know what freight ship companies handle transit between the U.S. (Port of Seattle Washington) and Japan. Unlike people doing really early planning for a trip later in the year, I’m aiming to make my move in a very short period of time (1-2 weeks). My last concern is if there are any direct shipping routes between the U.S. and Japan. I’d prefer as direct as possible for the quickest trip. I’m certainly not worried about finances.

How can i travel from Toronto to india by frieght

Put your car on the ship. Then you get on. There you go.

I traveled from Japan to southern California in summer 1985. From the above article now in the age of Internet, it looks like you have to (1) find what cargo companies travel your routes, (2) contact each one to get availability/price/procedure, (3) take the trip!

How can I travel one way from the US on a cargo ship, and take my own car on the same ship? I’d like to travel from the north-east US coast (possibly New York,…) to a northern port in France, Belgium, Netherlands, or Germany.

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Crossing the Pacific – My Cargo Ship Travel Experience

What is it like to be a passenger on a cargo vessel? Here’s all you need to know about cargo ship travel across the Pacific Ocean.

Flying is not the only way to travel long distances. For example, the Trans-Siberian railway can take you from Europe to the Eastern parts of Asia within a week. And not even water will force you to board a plane: if you want, you can catch a ride on a ship across any of the world’s oceans.

I recently traveled from New Zealand to United States as a passenger on a cargo ship. Whether you’re taking a cargo vessel from United States to New Zealand / Australia or the other way around, cargo ship travel can be a great way to cross the Pacific Ocean.

Further reading:  How Long Does It Take a Cargo Ship to Cross the Pacific? 

The view out from my cabin window. A room with an ocean view, imagine that!

Why Should You Cross the Pacific on a Cargo Ship?

Crossing the Pacific Ocean on a freighter ship is completely possible. But why should you do it?

For some people, the reason is flightless travel. Some of these travelers want to avoid the excessive CO2 emissions of flying. Unlike cruising, traveling as a passenger on a cargo ship is considered mostly CO2 neutral . When a freighter ship carries thousands of tons of cargo, having a few extra cargo ship passengers doesn’t affect the total emissions that much.

Other people might just enjoy new experiences and the slow way of travel. For me, my reason for cargo ship travel across the Pacific Ocean was a mix of both. I don’t strictly avoid flying, but I try to keep my carbon footprint small. I also like the sense of distance that flightless travel gives me. And after all my rushing around the globe, the idea of staying still for 16 days on a cargo ship across the Pacific sounded absolutely wonderful.

Traveling on a container ship is much more luxurious than many imagine. My fancy cabin had two rooms and a private bathroom.

There are many good reasons for cargo ship travel, but the price of cargo ship travel isn’t one. Although many people believe otherwise – hopeful phrases like “travel by cargo ship for free” are quite popular on Google – cargo ship travel is not cheap.

Traveling on a cargo ship for 16 days cost me about 2500 euros (meals included), making the journey the most expensive thing I’ve paid on this trip – or ever before it. The same trip in a smaller cabin would have cost 2200 euros, but only a two-room Owner’s Cabin was available when I booked my cargo ship travel experience.

You can explore the the ship quite freely during daylight. However, you need to tell the officers every time you leave (and return to) the “accommodation tower”.

How to Cross the Pacific on a Cargo Ship

See Also: How to Prepare for Traveling on a Cargo Ship?

How can you arrange cargo ship travel? Unfortunately the days of working on a ship for passage are practically over. You need to be a passenger – and you need to book your freighter trip well in advance. I used a travel agency from New Zealand called Freighter Travel . Hamish from Freighter Travel was extremely helpful and even saved me when I wasn’t allowed to board my plane to New Zealand , so I can give him my highest recommendations.

For other booking options, the website FlightlessTravel.com has a great guide on how to arrange cargo ship travel.

If you want to cross the Pacific as a passenger on a cargo ship, your options for ships and routes are somewhat limited. Only some companies and container ships take passengers. The starting points and destinations for container ship travel across the Pacific Ocean are also scarce. Ships only travel between popular ports, so getting to less wealthy countries like Mexico or Vietnam is much harder than, say, the United States or Australia.

Our cargo vessel spent a night at the Port of Tauranga, New Zealand. If your cargo ship makes stops during your trip, you can often leave for the shore for a while.

On the East shore of the Pacific Ocean, popular departure and arrival points include Oakland and Los Angeles in California as well as Panama in Central America. Many ships even pass through the Panama Canal to the East Coast of the United States!

In the West of Pacific, Singapore, Sydney and Tauranga (New Zealand) are some of the most popular starting points, although there are other options, too. South Korea, Japan and many other countries on the coast have cargo ships coming and going.

Most cargo ships that travel from Australia to United States make a stop in Tauranga. Cargo ship travel from Australia to New Zealand takes about a week, and the Tasmanian Sea often has a stormy weather. If you want a shorter experience with less risk of bad weather, you might just want to begin your cargo ship voyage to America from New Zealand.

At least that’s what I did.

“Take good look Tauranga, Mr. Arimo. Next 15 days not see much land”, our captain said to me.

My Experience of Crossing the Pacific on a Cargo Ship

July 11th, 2017. I stood on the deck of cargo vessel MV Cap Capricorn and watched as the coastline of New Zealand got smaller and smaller. Our captain, friendly Romanian called Mihail told me to take a good look, reminding me that I wouldn’t see much (read: any) land in a long while. It would take us 10,000 kilometers and 16 days to travel from New Zealand to California on a cargo ship.

So, what is it like to be a cargo ship passenger?

If I had to describe my cargo ship travel experience with one word, it would be stress-free. The lack of proper Wi-Fi (satellite internet doesn’t work very well and it costs fortunes) meant that I could leave all my real life worries and responsibilities on the shore. I ate the meals with the captain and the other officers, but otherwise I had no schedule to follow. I mostly spent my days reading, writing and playing old video games.

One evening our captain held a BBQ dinner at the deck. Sunset, great food and good company – I’m not complaining!

The lifeboat of our cargo vessel. The emergency procedures were practiced regularly.

My biggest challenge was waking up for the breakfast. This proved to be surprisingly difficult as we crossed to a new time zone every few days. Heading east, I had to wake up an hour earlier every time we moved the clock. As I didn’t do any sort of exercise, I didn’t get very tired. After the first week, I would often wake up for breakfast but go back to sleep afterwards.

In a way, cargo ship travel feels like a childhood holiday. You know, the kind of lazy vacation where your only responsibility is joining your family for dinner – except your family is replaced by the officers and possible other passengers (our ship had two of us). And it’s not your family home, but a huge ship that slowly makes its way across the ocean.

It’s very unlikely that you see any whales or other strange creatures out on the open water. Even spotting a few birds in the middle of nowhere was a rare and special event.

Life on a Cargo Vessel

Cargo ship travel might sound boring to some, but I really enjoyed my time crossing the Pacific on a cargo ship from New Zealand to the United States. I would often go to the deck to stare at the view, curiously following how the ocean and the sky changed their faces each day. My favourite sight was seeing miniature rainbows form on the spatter of the waves. (I tried taking photos of the phenomenon, but I had no success.)

Being a passenger on a freighter vessel is much more comfortable than many people think. I had my own, cosy cabin. The food was always delicious, and our captain really made sure I enjoyed my stay. I didn’t even need to worry about getting seasick – we had such a great weather that if I didn’t pay any attention to the vibration of the engine, I could almost forget that I was on a ship.

All movies about  sea travel show perfectly clear night skies. After witnessing sixteen somewhat cloudy nights in a row, I’m starting to believe we’ve been fooled.

In fact, my biggest worry was that my cargo ship travel experience would eventually end. Without an internet connection, I got very productive. I finished a new draft of a novel manuscript I had not touched in six months . I read tons of great books. I played a couple old Super Nintendo video games I had wanted to try for a long time. I even watched Titanic for the first time in my life!

Although you mainly create your own entertainment, there are a few services available on board. Our ship had a tiny gym, although I never used it. I got my only exercise when I used the stairs or went for walks on the lower deck of the ship a few times. The ship also had a video game console as well as movies and books on the free time lounges of the officers and the crew, but I never used them, either. I had enough means to keep myself busy during my cargo ship experience without them.

Land ahoy! We sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge to get to the Port of Oakland, California.

Landing in the USA

After sixteen days of cargo ship travel from New Zealand to USA, the coast of California finally appeared on the horizon on July 26th. I had seen just a few birds during the last two weeks, but now several seagulls joined us. Even a couple whales came to play on the surface near our ship!

As we approached California, the ocean and the sky started to look different. When we got closer to the shore and entered more shallow water, the sea lost its hue of deep blue. The clouds in the sky also looked different because the air behaved differently above the land.

When we left the Port of Tauranga in New Zealand, one of the last things I could see was Mount Maunganui, one of the most popular sights of Tauranga. At the end of my cargo ship travel experience, I was greeted by an even more famous landmark: the Golden Gate Bridge. As we passed under the bridge, the clouds rolled away from above us and we got to see San Francisco at its most beautiful. Welcome to the USA!

Blue da ba dee da ba daa!

Is Cargo Ship Travel Worth It?

Would I recommend traveling as a passenger on a cargo vessel for others? Sure – if the price is not a problem. Flying is cheaper and faster than sea travel, but the cargo ship experience can be very unique. I truly enjoyed my cargo ship travel experience and if money’s not an issue, I’d like to experience cargo ship travel again in the future.

Of course, cargo ship travel is not super exciting and there won’t be much going on in the ship. You probably won’t see any exotic animals or islands along the way, so you’ll just stare at an empty ocean every single day. Still, there’s something very captivating about standing on the deck, knowing there’s no land in sight for thousands of kilometers in any direction…

Or who knows, maybe the best part was being offline and not following the world news for over two weeks?

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Arimo Travels is a sustainable travel blog by Arimo, a mostly traveler from Finland. The site focuses on sustainable travel guides and randomness.

20 comments

Interesting post. I am curious if all your meals are included in the 2500 euros?

Yes, all the meals are included! 🙂 Glad you asked, I added that information to the post so no-one else needs to wonder.

Thanks for sharing your adventure Arimo! It’s an experience a lot of “merchandise” has, but not one very many “people” have.

Interesting that it was MORE expensive than air travel! From the Rob Long cargo ship story I think I told you about, he made it seem that the cargo ship pricing was quite modest and much less than air travel!?

You’re welcome Glenn! 🙂 I’m surprised that Long’s trip was so cheap. Of course, the price seems a less high if you compare it to flying + 16 nights in a hotel + eating in a restaurant three times a day.

I know Hamish here in Napier. I was lucky to cross the pacific by helping on a ship from Los Angeles to Sydney to Bridbane to Fiji. After having wondered this little world for the last four and half years. It was called “work your passage” but these words today have a different meaning to 1982. A group of 4 (all not know each other) ended up on the NAD Lyllitop (?spelling) the third biggest rollonoff-rollon ship in the world then.

Sounds like a wonderful journey! 🙂

i’m also very happy to hear that you know Hamish. Although I haven’t met him personally, he came across as a very kind and understanding gentleman during our email correspondence. If you have a chance, you can say my thanks for him!

(Even if he wouldn’t remember my name, he’ll surely remember the case of me being stuck in Tonga when I wasn’t allowed to board my original flight to New Zealand! Hamish really worked hard to help me on that one!)

Hi, i am considering traveling to S America via freight travel. It will be one way because i plan to move there, so that permitted? Also i will be brining a lot of stuff. What is the processes of bag check? And when i arrive at the port im exiting, whats the luggage process there? I look forward to giving it a try because i love sea living! Hope to hear back!

Hi Adam, sounds like a wonderful plan! 🙂

On my trip, there was actually no bag check at all on either end 😀 But don’t trust that to be the norm. I don’t know how much is the maximum, but having a few bags shouldn’t be a problem.

As long as your visa is in condition and you meet other requirements for entry, one-way trip should be fine!

Nice. Travelling in cargo ships provides you an amazing experience. There are generally no peak or off peak prices as there are not a lot of cabins to fill. Thanks for sharing your experience.

You’re welcome! 🙂

How do you book this? It sounds terribly boring, yet completely fascinating at the same time. I don’t know if I would be able to handle this.

Haha, “terribly boring yet completely fascinating” sound like a good summary! 😀 There are some travel agents that specialize in cargo ship travel. I used one called Freighter Travel ( https://www.freightertravel.co.nz ).

The website of FlightlessTravel.com seems to be down, but they used to have a good list of cargo ship travel agencies. The page is still available on Web Archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20170905232015/http://flightlesstravel.com/plan/cargo-ships/

desperate me – Barbara J. O’Brien need to travel with furniture, bedding etc personal living items, to USA, for “sole de patie” a way of entering the US inorder to live there lawfully….need a shippinbg line to take me, as above…please phone me – urgent need to arrive before 15 August 2018, from Auckland NZ. Please can you help me to above???

Hey Barbara!

Unfortunately I cannot help you, but I recommend that you contact a freighter company or a cargo ship travel agent. They might be able to give you more information.

Hi, just did this very journey from tauranga (where i live) to Oakland in May. i read your blog before booked it. and you did a very good summary of the experience. I would do it again too, but in retrospect i would have done it the other way around so i could have some time looking at the other ports. Yes, captain was very friendly, could not have asked for a better crew really. The Chief Engineer also took me for a tour in the engine room one day.

That’s wonderful, I’m really glad to hear you enjoyed your experience 🙂

It is a unique experience to travel on a freighter. Have you ever been on a King Ocean ship (www.kingocean.com)? They are huge boats!

Thanks for sharing. Got an idea of what it was like for a passenger, but what does the crew do this entire time? Thank in advance.

Sorry for replying over a year late, but that’s a good question! I know many members of the crew spent time on the deck or downstairs working with the engines. I’m not sure how much work and how much spare time they had, though. I remember one young crewmate bouncing a football in his cabin. 😀

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How to Prepare for Cargo Ship Travel? (Booking a Passage)

Booking a passage on a cargo ship? This guide tells you all you need to know about cargo ship travel.

BLOG ON HIATUS III

On Monday 10th of July, I’ll start crossing the Pacific Ocean as a passenger on a cargo ship. The whole journey from Tauranga, New Zealand…

• PLAN A JOURNEY
• CARBON EMISSIONS
• RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

Cargo Ship Travel  

• Cargo ships often cover less touristy parts of the world which are not serviced by cruise ships
• Not only is it real travel but it's one of the greenest forms of travel as you form a very small part of the container ships total cargo
• Cargo ships travel throughout the year unlike cruise ships which are influenced by passenger demand, this means that cruise ships often only sail in the high season (usually the summer)
• When you are a passenger on a cargo ship you usually get to dine with the captain of the ship and his officers
• The standard of passenger accommodation is generally very good with most cargo ship passenger cabins having their own toilet and shower (you don't have to sleep in a container!)
• Cargo ships usually accommodated just 12 or fewer passengers (a doctor is required for more than this), so the cargo ship is not going to be over crowded with other passengers

There are quite a few websites out there which specifically focus on alternative travel by cargo ship, we have listed all the sites that we are aware of. To save you time trawling through all the websites below, email us at [email protected] and we will forward your query to select agents who can help you book your freighter trip, if the route you want to do is possible.

Although the sites below offer some very useful information we would also recommend phoning the harbour master for your preferred passenger departure point. They will often provide you with local contacts and up to date and local information.

Useful Websites

• UK agencies booking passenger travel on cargo ships are: Cargo Ship Voyages , Strand Travel , The Cruise People Ltd , Pathfinder & Sea Travel Ltd
• CMA CGM is a French cargo transportation and shipping company and is the third largest cargo shipping company in the world. - www.cma-cgm.com , you can book direct or via several of the agents listed above
• German freighters, Hamburh SED, have a useful website that details numerous routes and prices for cargo ship travel around the globe. - www.hamburgsued-frachtschiffreisen.de
• Italian freighter company, Grimaldi Line - covers routes to and from Europe to South America and Africa. www.grimaldi.co.uk/ , Pathfinder ( www.safemariner.co.uk ) and Cruise Cyprus ( www.cruisecyprus.com ) act as agents for Grimaldi Line
• German freighter company, Rickmers-Linie with cargo ship travel routes around the world. - www.rickmers-linie.de
• Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), global cargo transportation company centred in Singapore. - www.nol.com.sg
• FAQ's & general information on passenger travel by cargo ship: Gonomad.com , Seaplus.com , A la Carte Freighter Travel & Freightertrips.com

Featured Routes

There are a number of popular passenger ship routes on cargo ships, we have featured a few interesting ones below to help inspire you to take a trip which is a real travel alternative to traditional modes of travel.

TransPacific

The South Korea (Busan) to California crossing on the Hanjin Dallas cargo ship was featured on the BBC series "Around the world in 80 days" for Children in need (2009). The crossing should take ten days but departure times are unpredictable. There are a number of other cargo ships which carry passengers and cross the Pacific Ocean which are detailed in some of the web sites listed in the above section. Contact details for Hanjin can be found on their website www.hanjin.com .

The Royal Mail Ship St Helena

This is sold as a magnificent island cruise from Cape Town to the island of St Helena in the Atlantic Ocean, just south of the Equator. This cargo/passenger ship also calls in at Luderitz and Walvis Bay in Namibia where the desert meets the sea. Go to www.aws.co.uk for more details.

French Polynesia

Sail around Tahiti and the Marquesas islands over 14 days on the Aranui www.aranui.com . The Aranui is a mixed passenger/cargo ship which offers comfortable, air-conditioned accommodations for about two hundred passengers. Passengers are able to sunbathe on deck and swim in the pool. The ship operates under the French flag, and her crew are all local Polynesians.

9 Ways To Island Hop the South Pacific on a Budget

By: Author Avichai Ben Tzur

Posted on Last updated: July 3, 2022

Editor's Note: Yes, it's possible to experience the South Pacific on a budget. I didn't know this until I arrived in French Polynesia en route to New Zealand at the start of my 'round the world trip. That was ten years ago, and I still wish I'd spent more time there. In this guest post, Avichai Ben Tzur shares his tips for getting the most value for your money.

The South Pacific Islands conjure images of a tropical paradise, where azure waters meet white sand beaches and time slowly ticks.

In reality, the islands are not far from this stereotypical image, but they offer a wealth of experiences far beyond fancy beaches.

From the Solomon Islands to New Caledonia, the Pitcairn Islands, Papua New Guinea and Easter Island, these island groups and volcanic islands offer turqoise water, coral reefs, sea turtles, humpback whales, boat trips, beautiful tropical beaches, water sports, scuba diving—anything you can dream of.

The last specks of land to be colonized by humans due to their isolation, it's no surprise that budget travelers are often put off by the challenges of exploring this remote location.

But a wise person once said that the most beautiful places in the world are also the hardest to reach, and in the case of the beautiful beaches of these remote archipelagos of the Pacific Ocean, this overused proverb is spot on.

However, if you find the right tour operators and follow the right planning process, you can make a round trip to this part of the world for a great price.

I spent over six months traveling between these amazing islands, and, in this post, I'll share with you nine ways to island-hop in this popular destination on a budget.

Table of Contents

1. Set the Right Expectations

2. travel off-season, 3. pick the right islands, 4. hitch a ride on a cargo ship, 5. take advantage of air passes, 6. eat, sleep and get around like a local, 7. volunteer, 8. take advantage of dive passes, 9. the power of large numbers.

The first thing to remember when pondering an island-hopping journey to the South Pacific is to set the right expectations (with yourself).

This will not be the same as a backpacking trip to Southeast Asia .

But what you'll lack regarding dirt-cheap accommodations and backpacker perks (fruit shakes, massages, and the likes), you'll compensate for by having to share the dream islands with so few others, connecting with exotic and rarely visited cultures, and so much more!

This isn't an ordinary trip, and it's not for the average traveler.

Seasons in the South Pacific are split into two: a wet season from November to March (a.k.a “summer”) and a dry season from April to October (“winter”).

Traveling during the off-season wetter months is an excellent way to save on costs and is worth it if you plan to spend an extended amount of time in the region instead of just a few days.

That's because it doesn't always rain. Though some islands get more rain than others, there is still plenty of sunshine.

There is, however, one caveat. The wet season is also the South Pacific cyclone season, and, though rare, you don't want to experience one.

The secret is to move eastward towards French Polynesia, which historically experiences far fewer violent storms.

When it comes to budget travel in the South Pacific, choosing the right mix of islands can make or break your vacation, not to mention your bank account.

But with an abundance of islands to choose from , the real challenge is knowing where to place your bets. You shouldn't just go for the main island, but don't pick remote islands or small islands unthinkingly either. Make sure to do your research or hire a travel agent.

Your most expensive line items will be the travel between the islands, accommodation, getting around the islands, and moving from one island-nation to the next one.

Therefore, it's wise to focus on islands connected by ferries, islands with hostel-style accommodations or even campgrounds (make sure they offer cooking facilities), and more populated islands where buses and other forms of public transport exist and island-nations connected by at least one or two short direct flights.

Budget-friendly South Pacific islands include the Yasawa group in Fiji, Efate Island in Vanuatu, Savaii and Upolu in (Western) Samoa, Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, Tahiti and Moorea in French Polynesia (plus a couple more in this magical destination).

It's not exactly free, but if you are flexible with your time and up for an adventure, you can get to some islands by traveling the “old way” – on the high seas!

Pretty much all inhabited islands in the South Pacific are serviced by cargo ships that carry much-needed food, freight, fuel, and everything else that's needed for survival.

When these ships don't make the scheduled trip for whatever reason, islanders must change their habits and “wait it out” until the next boat arrives.

Some cargo ships have reserved spaces for travelers (mostly locals) and, for a fraction of the cost of air travel, you can travel to islands such as Bora Bora or even to ones that are remote even by South Pacific standards.

The trick is to be very flexible with your time, inquire with the locals, pay a visit to the port, and have luck on your side.

If hitching a ride on a cargo ship isn't for you or if the islands you wish to visit within a specific nation aren't connected by ferry, leveraging air passes is your next best option for reducing the cost of island hopping.

Most RTW tickets can include one South Pacific stop, usually in Fiji, the Cook Islands, or Tahiti.

Also, some travel agents can purchase an air pass on flights connecting various countries and territories.

When it comes to domestic flights, Air Vanuatu offers several air passes for exploring the islands of Vanuatu, and Air Tahiti provides exceptional value in their multitude of air passes for exploring the 65 inhabited islands of French Polynesia.

In the latter case, you can fly to six islands (including Bora Bora) for about $350!

And here's another tip for traveling the South Pacific on a budget. If you can keep your checked luggage to no more than 10kg, you'll avoid baggage fees on every domestic flight.

This is a no brainer for budget travelers in any destination. Still, in the South Pacific, it's a rule of thumb that carries with it immense savings because nearly everything – from gasoline to cheese – must be imported.

In the food department, eat whatever is in season (fruit, vegetables, and fish).

When you feel like eating out – dine where locals eat, supplement imported meat for locally raised chicken, and you get the point.

On the transportation front, use buses when you can (it's quite the experience in Samoa), hitch a ride with locals, and rent a bicycle to get around parts of the island (or choose accommodations that offer free use of bikes).

When it comes to lodging, the beach fales of Samoa offer budget travelers the chance to sleep on the beach for a low price (plus two meals).

At the same time, homestay programs in American Samoa are a great way to meet locals in authentic villages for just a few dollars per day.

Whether it's helping on a sailboat, caring for children, or working in the outdoors, you might be surprised to find out that there's a way to stay on the tropical islands of the South Pacific for absolutely free!

Volunteering is not only an excellent way to save on travel costs, but it also has a positive impact on the community and guarantees interaction with locals.

Websites such as WWOOF and especially Workaway can help unlock valuable opportunities that can turn the trip of a lifetime into the experience of a lifetime.

Destinations such as Fiji, French Polynesia, and the Cook Islands are a scuba diving paradise, with turquoise waters full of manta rays and other magical wildlife .

But like when you go through a can of BBQ-flavored Pringles, one is not enough. That's when dive passes come in handy.

In some destinations, scuba dive centers with multiple locations or even an association of local dive shops may offer a bundle of dives for a deep discount.

This not only helps reduce diving costs but also means you get to dive in completely different environments and islands.

For example, In French Polynesia, you can buy a dive pass that is valid on at least six islands!

If you're the kind of traveler that feels a constant desire to explore and cannot miss out on a visit to an ancient temple, secret beach, or whatever – you probably know that this (healthy) desire comes with a price tag.

In the South Pacific islands, this feeling is further amplified by the fear of never seeing this paradise again, or at least not for a very long time.

If you're that kind of person, teaming up with like-minded travelers is always a good idea.

Dedicated Facebook Groups can help you partner with other travelers who are either in the planning stages or already on one of the islands seeking travel mates.

The most significant benefit to teaming up is the vast reduction in the cost of renting a vehicle, which immediately unlocks the opportunity of exploring the remotest sections of the islands.

And if you get along, you can also save on accommodations when they're priced on a per-room basis.

Avichai Ben Tzur publishes in-depth guides for independent travelers on his website – XDAYSINY.COM . In 2015, he left a comfortable job at Google to voyage across the remote South Pacific Islands and has yet to return to the “real world.”

Planning a trip? Go Backpacking recommends:

• G Adventures for small group tours.
• Hostelworld for booking hostels.

DAVID BLATT

Monday 14th of August 2017

I can certainly recommend the cargo steamer for travel between the islands in French Polynesia. Arriving at islands such as Bora Bora, Huahine, Moorea etc... from the ground upwards as the spectacular vistas come slowly into view, is something else. Be prepared to rough it on deck, but it makes it all worth while.

Cruise on a Cargo Boat in the South Pacific

Explore French Polynesia’s wild and exotic Marquesas Islands on Aranui III – a unique designed cargo filled vessel complete with cruise ship comforts. You’ll board the Aranui III in Tahiti and sail almost 800 miles to the most spectacular and remote islands.

Sailing from Papeete, the ship delivers vital supplies to the Marquesas while guests enjoy 14-adventure filled days exploring the lush unspoilt islands and experiencing the local culture.

Day 1 MORNING DEPARTURE FROM PAPEETE, TAHITI Day 2 TUAMOTU ARCHIPELAGO – FAKARAVA Fakarava is the largest atoll in the Tuamotu. There is snorkeling and scuba diving for people of all levels. You can swim and snorkel in the translucent lagoon to watch the colourful ballet of tropical lagoon fish. The entire morning will be spent on shore. Lunch will be served on board while we set sail for the Marquesas.

Day 3 AT SEA ON THE ARANUI You can relax with a book on one of the sun decks, swim in the small pool or enjoy the immense South Pacific. Balmy evenings mean reading in lounge/ library or chatting with an authority on Marquesan culture or archaeology. You’ll probably spend many evenings socializing on the upstairs deck/bar with your fellow adventurers from around the world. The spirited Polynesian crew treat you like welcomed guests and proudly introduce you to their rich culture. Almost every night, they sing and strum hypnotic Polynesian rhythms on their ukuleles and will teach you to move your hips to hypnotic beat of the tamure.

Day 4 THE MARQUESAS ARCHIPELAGO – UA POU (Hakahau-Hakahetau) From the deck, you’ll see the soaring mountain spires of Ua Pou. Whenever the Aranui stops, villages greet it. As the muscular crew unloads supplies – from cements to sugar – and loads sacks of copra (dried coconut meat ), you’ll explore the tiny town of Hakahau with its church with a hand-carved wooden dais. You can meet some talented woodcarvers and hike up a hill for a breathtaking view of the distant cloud-covered mountains. At Rosalie’s Restaurant, you’ll taste your first Marquesan lunch: breadfruit, a marquesan staple, along with curried goat, barbecued rock lobster, poisson cru (raw fish marinated in lime juice and soaked in coconut milk ), taro and sweet red bananas.

Day 5 NUKU HIVA (Taiohae-Hatiheu-Taipivai) We sail into Taiohae’s spectacular bay, a giant volcanic amphitheater dominated by towering cliffs streaked with waterfalls. As the Aranui unloads, you can explore Taiohae, the tiny Administrative capital of the Marquesas. Taiohae Bay is where a 23-year-old sailor , Herman Melville and a buddy jumped a whaling ship in 1842. We follow their escape route by jeep along steep, winding dirt mountain roads to the village of Hatiheu to visit an archeological site. We’ll have lunch at Yvonne’s Restaurant, one of the best restaurants in the Marquesas, where the specialty is pig baked in an underground oven. You’ll meet the owner-chef, Yvonne, who also happens to be the town’s energetic mayor. After lunch, we will travel to the valley of Taipivai. The area is dotted with stone tiki gods and sacred ritual sites (me’ae) and immense stone platforms (paepae) where the Taipi built their houses. Enigmatic petroglyphs of birds, sacred turtles and fish are carved on huge boulders. The Aranui’s whaleboats will sail down the river to return you to the Aranui, which is anchored in the bay.

Day 6 HIVA OA (Atuona) We have plenty of time to explore Atuona, the second largest village in Marquesas. This is where Paul Gauguin lived and did some of his best work. You can visit the colonial store where Gauguin shopped and go into a replica of the Impressionist’s infamous “House of Pleasure.” As you walk up the hill to the cemetery, you’ll have sweeping views of the harbor. Beneath a huge frangipani tree is a tombstone with the simple words: Paul Gauguin 1903. Nearby is the grave of another famous European who also was seduced by Hiva Oa: Belgian singer-composer Jacques Brel, who died in 1978. You’ll also enjoy another lavish Marquesan lunch at Hoa Nui Restaurant.

Day 7 FATU HIVA (Omoa-Hanavave) This is the most lush and remote island of the Marquesan. It’s also a center of Marquesan crafts. As our guides lead you through the village of Omoa, you’ll see women hammering mulberry, banyan or breadfruit bark on logs. They dry it and then paint ancient Marquesan designs on their famous tapa cloth. Fatu Hiva is also well-known for its hand-painted pareus (sarongs ) and monoi, a perfumed coconut oil scented with tiare blossoms and sandalwood. Skilled woodcarvers will invite you into their home/studios.The Aranui sails to the other inhabited village. Hanavave is on the Bay of the Virgins, which is one of the world’s most beautiful bays. Some athletic passengers may choose to make the trip by foot. On this unforgettable ten mile hike you’ll have unforgettable views of towering cliffs and majestic waterfalls.

Day 8 HIVA OA (Puamau) We’ll travel by foot or by jeep to the most important archeological sites for tikis (ancient, human-like religious sculptures ) other than Easter Island. Our trained guides will show you these mysterious jungle ruins of Puamau and tell the stories of these haunting statues of an ancient civilization. Bring plenty of film.

Day 9 TAHUATA (Vaitahu) On this leaf-shaped island, the air is thick with fragrant scent of tiare, frangipani and history. In the tiny village of Vaitahu, Spanish explorers landed in 1595 and opened fire on a crowd of the curious islanders, killing about 200. When the first missionaries came in 1797, the generous local chief left his wife with missionary John Harris, with instruction that he treat her as his own wife. Harris fled the next day. Tahuata also is the site of the first French settlement in the Marquesas in 1842. The huge church built by the Vatican, is decorated with beautiful Marquesan carvings. We’ll picnic in the Valley of Hapatoni and swim and snorkel at a nearby beach.

Day 10 UA HUKA (VAIPAEE-HANE-HOKATU) We’ll visit a museum with exquisite replicas of Marquesan art. Some Aranui passengers will explore the island by four-wheel drive; others will ride the Marquesan horses. For three hours, we will explore the mountain landscape with heart-stopping views of the Pacific. The wild horses (brought from Chile in 1856) thrive here, outnumbering the islands 476 residents. We’ll have a Marquesan lunch at local restaurant and have plenty of time to visit studios of woodcarvers. We’ll visit the arboretum and the garden of fruits and flower. Back on the Aranui, it’s Polynesian night with dancing and buffet dinner on the decks.

Day 11 NUKU HIVA (TAIOHAE) AND UA POU The Aranui will dock in Nuku Hiva at Taiohae in the morning. You may take the Le Truck back to the town center and spend free time there. At noon, the ship will sail to Ua Pou, returning to our first stop in the Marquesas, Hakahau. This is your last chance to buy Marquesan crafts.

Day 12 AT SEA Day 13 TUAMOTU ARCHIPELAGO- RANGIROA On lovely Rangiroa, the largest atoll in the world, we’ll picnic on coral beach. Aranui passengers can swim and snorkel in a translucent lagoon. Excellent snorkeling and scuba diving are available for people of all levels. “Rangi” is an underwater jewel box with stunning colors of corals and clouds of tropical fishes. You’ll have the opportunity to purchase black pearls from local black pearl farmers. These rare black pearls are French Polynesia’s main economic resource.

Day 14 MORNING ARRIVAL IN PAPEETE, TAHITI

Tahiti, Oceania

Duration 7 days

Travel all around the year

Minimum 1 traveler

Price from  4,500 USD  per person

Get in touch with one of our travel advisors and request more details about this luxury experience .

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Due to Covid, The CMA CGM have decided to permanently cease passenger services on their cargo ships. Without the French Line, the only large pre-Covid provider, our activity will remain based on Specialty Cruises only, such as the ARANUI and Bella Desgagnés

What is it like to travel in a cargo ship? We find out

Hitching a ride on a cargo ship has a proud history, and the adventurous can still do it today in Europe and North America and, closer to home, in the South Pacific.

The no-frills cousins of the cruising family, cargo cruises carry adventurous travellers on freighter ships that transport goods around the world. A basic version sees up to a dozen passengers sharing facilities with the crew for a month or more, for around $150 per day, while others take 200 people around the South Pacific at luxury cruise prices.

The appeal lies in the slow pace of travel and the unusual experience of life aboard a working vessel. Imagine being one of five guests on a massive grain carrier that a similarly sized cruise ship would accommodate a crowd of 5000. There's no entertainment or mobile phone reception, and many ports are in non-touristy areas, but many people relish the lack of distractions to work, read or write. Not that cargo cruises are boring; most freighters have internet access, a pool, gym, sauna and barbecues on deck.

The first thing to sink this trend - popular for long-haul trips until the 1970s - was cheaper airfares; the second killer was COVID-19. Before the pandemic, about 4000 passengers sailed annually on commercial cargo ships, but this minimalist style of travel remains largely suspended. According to travel agency Cargo Ship Voyages: "Passenger travel on cargo ships has largely ceased since the pandemic; regrettably, we are seeing little appetite from shipowner partners to resume activity."

While we never stopped delivering cargo to the far-flung Marquesas, the islanders missed our guests.

Hamish Jamieson, managing director, Hawke's Bay Travel Centre & Freighter Travel, based in New Zealand, agrees there is no clear indication when or if "authentic" cargo cruising will restart. "That is the million-dollar question. In 2021 the big companies said we will start again in 2022, then in late 2021 they announced a further pause until early 2023. In late 2022 they delayed the restart until early 2024. The truth is nobody really knows," he said.

However, there are a few options for short journeys within Europe and Canada, global voyages on the St Helena, and Aranui Cruises in French Polynesia. Cargo Ship Voyages recently listed a 28-day journey on a German container ship that departs Hamburg every month. Passengers are welcomed on the route to Belgium, France, Morocco, the Netherlands and UK. Fares start at 2624 euros ($4383) per person (2904 euros solo).

A smaller ship alternative is also offered in Quebec. From April to January, Bella Desgagnes offers one-week cruises in its 63 cabins while it delivers mail and supplies to coastal villages. Fares start at $CAD705 ($807) per person twin-share (plus fees and taxes) including meals and sightseeing in some ports.

St Helena, a former Royal Mail ship, has become the transport facility and hospitality club for Extreme E Racing Series, which stages off-road races in remote locations. The ship carries the vehicles and equipment, and during race events it is used to entertain the drivers, teams and sponsors. At other times, passengers can stay in the 60 guest cabins and use the restaurant, VIP bar, executive lounge, and pantry stocked with snacks and soft drinks. An upcoming line voyage from Chile to Saudi Arabia via the Panama Canal and Suez Canal is estimated to take 40 days. Departing December 14, 2023, it's priced from 5266 euros per person twin-share (7586 euros for solo occupancy).

Most convenient for Australians is Aranui Cruises, which has provided passenger-cargo voyages from Papeete, Tahiti, for 40 years. While Aranui 5 distributes food, fuel and other staples around the Marquesas archipelago, travellers can explore the palm-fringed blue lagoons surrounded by volcanic vistas.

"We have been delighted to welcome guests back onboard Aranui 5 after the COVID-19 pause. While we never stopped delivering cargo to the far-flung Marquesas, the islanders missed our guests and have enjoyed once again showing them around their home and sharing their customs and traditions," said Laurent Wong, Aranui Cruises' regional representative in Australia and New Zealand.

Next year the cruises will reinstate Bora Bora, which was temporarily removed from the itinerary. "Bora Bora is the last stop on our incredible 3800-kilometre round-trip voyage to the remote Marquesas Islands, and it is a fitting finale to the ultimate South Pacific adventure," Wong said. "Bora Bora is as beautiful and exclusive as ever, and we love taking our guests to this slice of paradise as part of our traditional cargo cruise to the Marquesas."

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Aranui, which means "the great highway" in the Maori language, ran its original ship as a merchant inter-island trader, although it occasionally provided passage to Tahitians who slept on the main deck under a tarpaulin. The first official passenger cruise was launched in 1984 aboard the Aranui 1, with a few modifications including guest cabins, dormitories, a new galley and dining room.

Each subsequent ship in the fleet has been upgraded with more amenities, culminating in the 254-passenger Aranui 5. This cruise freighter offers air-conditioned accommodation, with more than half of the rooms featuring a private balcony. Facilities include a pool, library, gym, spa, tattoo studio, two bars and a restaurant serving regional cuisine, staffed by local crew.

The 2024 program includes 20 Marquesas sailings that deliver supplies to six islands - Nuku Hiva, Ua Pou, Ua Huka, Tahuata, Fatu Hiva and Hiva Oa - where passengers can disembark for hikes, 4WD tours or visits to archaeological sites. Aranui 5 will also alternate between Tuamotu atolls Fakarava and Kauehi on the journey north to the Marquesas, and Rangiroa and Makatea on the return leg.

Marquesas Islands fares start at $8181 per person twin share. A 25 per cent discount is offered on the 12-day cruise departing December 2, 2023, reducing the base price to $5955 per person. Fares include shore excursions, a weekly laundry service, three meals a day and French wines served with lunch and dinner.

For cargo cruises, see aranuicruises.com.au, cargoshipvoyages.com or freightertravel.co.nz

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Cook Islands Cargo Ship Guide: How to Use the Ferry for Interisland Travel

How to travel around the cook islands by boat.

You’ve probably seen it across the other countries of the South Pacific : ferries carrying passengers to the outer islands and even cargo boats that all of the locals use to get a cheap inter-island voyage. We hate to break it to you but there are no ferries in the Cook Islands  and rarely does anyone use the cargo ships for travelling between the islands. Shipping schedules are way too fluid for travellers to plan around, while the cost isn’t all that enticing. Still want to know more about travelling around the Cook Islands by boat? If we didn’t scare you off, here’s all our advice on travelling by cargo ship in the Cook Islands.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travelling the Cook Islands by Boat

Before we jump into this guide to all things “ferries/cargo ships/boats” in the Cook Islands, see if your question isn’t already answered by the internet’s most asked questions about travelling by boat in the Cook Islands.

Is There a Ferry from Rarotonga to Aitutaki?

No, there are no ferries from Rarotonga to Aitutaki. The only way to get to Aitutaki is to take a flight from Rarotonga Airport – more on that in our Domestic Flights Guide .

How to Get from Rarotonga to Aitutaki by Boat

It is extremely difficult and rare to be able to get a boat from Rarotonga to Aitutaki. The cargo ship from Rarotonga rarely stops by Aitutaki. The only way to get to Aitutaki is to take a flight from Rarotonga Airport – more on that in our Domestic Flights Guide .

Passenger and Cargo Ship Schedules for the Cook Islands

Schedules? What schedules?

The Cook Islands cargo ship schedule is, in the words of Captain Barbosa: “what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.” The inter-island cargo shipping service is run by Taio Shipping . The official schedule of Taio Shipping is as follows:

“[Taio Shipping] runs approximately once every two months to Penrhyn, Rakahanga and Manihiki and once every two and a half months to Palmerston and Pukapuka. Also once or twice a month to Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke and Mangaia.”

Which of the Cook Islands Does the Cargo Ship Travel to?

The cargo ship travels to the following islands from Rarotonga :

• Aitutaki (rarely)

How Long Does it Take to Travel by Boat in the Cook Islands?

It takes approximately a day for cargo boats to reach the Southern Group islands of Mangaia, Atiu, Mauke and Mitiaro or four days for the cargo boat to visit all four and return to Rarotonga. Note that the cargo ship rarely visits Aitutaki.

Trips take approximately three to four days to reach the Northern Group islands of Penrhyn, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Pukapuka or Suwarrow. The service that travels to all of these islands (except Suwarrow) takes approximately 10-12 days.

How Long Do Cargo Boats Stay on the Islands

As a rule of thumb, cargo boats stay on the islands for a few hours; enough time to unload cargo. As the only decent harbours are in Rarotonga and Penrhyn, most travel to the islands from the ship is by barge.

How to Find Upcoming Boat Schedules for the Cook Islands

For schedules for the upcoming month, it’s best to inquire with Taio Shipping . Their phone number is 24905 (Cook Islands dialling code is +682). They are located at the Avatiu Harbour, Avarua opposite the A-frame Ports Authority building. Opening hours are from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 4pm.

Alternatively, announcements for upcoming departures are (sometimes) posted on the Taio Shipping Facebook page.

Finally, if you’re feeling old school, check out announcements printed in Cook Islands News – you can usually find a copy in Rarotonga’s cafes .

The Cost of Travelling by Cargo Ship in the Cook Islands

Travelling by cargo ship isn’t as “cheap” as you might expect in the Cook Islands. Some approximate prices are as follows (but are subject to change):

• Rarotonga to one island in the Southern Group – NZ$250 per person return
• Deck space for Rarotonga to the Northern Group – NZ$450 per person return
• Cabin space for Rarotonga to the Northern Group – NZ$1,200 return.

For more costs to help budget for your trip, check out Rarotonga & Cook Islands Travel Budget: How Much Does a Trip to the Cook Islands Cost?

Other Ways to Travel Around the Cook Islands

Ok, so cargo ships are quite expensive and difficult to plan around. What’s the alternative for getting around the Cook Islands? Unless you own a sailing yacht (if you do, check out our Sailing Guide to Rarotonga & the Cook Islands: Tips for Yachting in the Cook Islands  – by the way), the only other way to travel between the Cook Islands is by domestic flight. Domestic flights are the main way to travel between the islands for visitors and locals alike!

Head over to our Domestic Flights in the Cook Islands: Your Guide to Interisland Flights for our complete guide on how scheduled flights in the Cook Islands work.

Note that for islands like Penrhyn and Pukapuka, there are no scheduled flights, but charter flights are available. Find out more about those in our other guide, How to Hire a Plane in the Cook Islands: A Guide to Plane Charters .

More About Cargo Ships and Travelling by Boat in the Cook Islands

That’s it for our guide to cargo ships, boats and travelling by ferry in the Cook Islands. We know, we might have burst your bubble about boating across the Cook Islands, but hopefully, we can make up for it by providing more useful advice for travelling around the Cook Islands:

• Cook Islands Transport Guide: 15 Best Ways to Get Around the Cook Islands
• The Complete Guide to Public Transportation in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands
• 10 Things You Need to Know About Flying in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands

Finally, plan the rest of the ins and outs of a trip to the Cook Islands using The Best Cook Islands Travel Guide  and the 30 Tips for Travelling in Rarotonga & the Cook Islands .

This article was reviewed and published by Laura, editor-in-chief and co-founder of Cook Islands Pocket Guide. Since arriving solo in the South Pacific over 10 years ago with nothing but a backpack and a background in journalism, her mission has been to show the world how easy (and awesome) it is to explore a paradise such as the Cook Islands. She knows the islands inside out and loves sharing tips on how best to experience Raro’s must-dos and hidden gems. Laura is also the editor of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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I Hitched a Ride On a Cargo Ship to Scuba Dive in Remote South Pacific Islands

Aranui 5 was one of the few cruise ships that kept sailing during COVID-19

Suzie Dundas

As most dedicated scuba divers know, what's exciting about scuba diving isn’t just what you see underwater—it’s where you get in the water. As an avid diver, I was thrilled when I learned that scuba diving is possible near Hiva Oa, on the Marquesas Islands. The Marquesas are one of French Polynesia ’s five island chains and the most remote; it’s a three-hour flight from Tahiti to Nuka Hiva, the administrative capital of the Marquesas. 

You can’t fly within 24 hours after diving , though, so I decided to plan my Tahitian dive trip another way—on the Aranui 5 , a half-tourist, half-cargo ship that makes regular runs to the Marquesas Islands. 

The Aranui 5 sets sail from the island of Tahiti, making nine stops over the course of its 13-day voyage: Bora Bora, two islands in the Tuamotu chain (Fakarava and Rangiroa), and six of the inhabited islands of the Marquesas. While the front of the ship carries cargo like frozen foods, vehicles, electronics, and even horses to the islands, the stern is akin to a small cruise ship. My room had a private balcony, the staff are multilingual and very friendly, and all meals are served with red and white wine and finished with gourmet pastries from the French-trained pastry chef.

Because the islands are so remote, anything that can’t fit on a small plane has to be delivered via the Aranui 5. That means the Aranui 5 was one of the few cruise ships in the world that never stopped sailing during the recent pandemic. Another supply ship is available, but it only sails when it has enough cargo to justify the trip, which can leave Marquesans waiting months for vital supplies like building materials.

While the Aranui is unloading at the port each day, cruise guests are treated to excursions, all of which are included with the price of the ticket. I was able to tour the studio of French renegade artist Paul Gauguin and take a 10-mile hike through the purple-flower-covered mountains of rugged Fatu Hiva, among other activities.

But the best part of the Aranui is that it’s an adventure cruise, and that means guests can personalize their adventures. Not surprisingly, I focused on spending my time underwater. While other cruisers opted for beach days or ATV tours of the mountains, I strapped on my dive gear and dived with sea turtles in Tahiti, saw the famous “Wall of Sharks” on the island of Fakarava, had a dolphin swim alongside me for most of my dive in Rangiroa’s Tiputi Pass, and went below the surface in Tahuata, swimming along the rocky, stingray-filled walls. I also added dives ahead of time in Moorea, a small island connected to Tahiti by the 30-minute long Aremiti Ferry .

The Aranui staff arranged my dives in each location with local dive operator Top Dive . That meant I was never late for my dives, never late returning to the Aranui, and I only needed to pay and show my dive certifications once. Since Top Dive was my primary operator, they knew my gear sizes and had my rental set-ups ready the moment I walked into the dive shops.

Some other guests on the Aranui also scuba dived, which helped me meet other people even though I was traveling alone. Never once did I feel limited by the other divers; in fact, Top Dive often split the group to allow those of us interested in more challenging dives to visit a different spot than those who wanted a more mellow experience. I can definitely say that my dives in French Polynesia were some of the best I’ve ever done, with shark sightings on every dive. And since the Aranui's last stop is Bora Bora, guests have the option of departing a day early to spend extra time diving in Bora Bora's world-famous lagoon. I didn't opt for that, but after spending a day there, I would definitely choose that option were I to do the trip again.

Luxurious rooms on the Aranui 5 aren’t cheap at $5,300 per person in a double stateroom, though it does include all food, wine with meals, lodging, and daily excursions (diving has an additional cost.) However, if you’re traveling with a group of diving friends, the bunk room is surprisingly cheaper than you’d expect, costing about $3,400 a person for all 13 days. If you're planning a similar trip, you can book a multi-dive package from Top Dive, which you can use between Top Dive's shops (except on Tahuata; that's with Marquesas Diving .)

Tahiti is about seven hours flying from both Los Angeles and San Francisco on Air Tahiti and United Airlines, respectively.

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Tangled in Steel With No Way Out: How the Crew Stuck in Baltimore Is Faring

Twenty-two seafarers from India find themselves not only trapped in the ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, but also in an unexpected spotlight.

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By Eduardo Medina

Reporting from Baltimore

Even from miles away, the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore is a jarring visual: Chunks of steel jut above the water like metallic icebergs. Twisted gray beams protrude in crooked positions. From a park near Fort McHenry, visitors can see the giant cargo ship that struck the bridge and remains lodged in the wreckage.

Less visible, however, are the 22 crew members from India who have remained on the ship, named the Dali, since the disaster on Tuesday.

Little is publicly known about them other than that they are seafarers who embarked on a journey aboard the 985-foot-long cargo ship that was on its way to Sri Lanka, carrying 4,700 shipping containers, when it lost power and struck the Key Bridge, causing the structure to collapse.

Since the accident, which killed six construction workers, the crew members have found themselves in an unexpected spotlight. While keeping the ship operable, they are answering a deluge of questions from officials investigating the nighttime catastrophe, as the evidence of what occurred lies around them in mangled ruins stretching across the bow and deck.

While officials investigate what could have caused the tragedy, another question has emerged this week: What could the crew members, who have limited access to the outside world, be going through right now?

“They must feel this weight of responsibility that they couldn’t stop it from happening,” said Joshua Messick, the executive director of the Baltimore International Seafarers’ Center , a religious nonprofit that seeks to protect the rights of mariners.

Even so, officials have praised the crew’s swift mayday message that was transmitted over the radio as the ship lost power on Tuesday. Before the Dali struck the bridge, traveling at a rapid eight knots, the mayday call helped police officers stop traffic from heading onto the bridge, most likely saving many lives, the authorities said. A local harbor pilot with more than 10 years of experience was onboard, as well as an apprentice pilot in training.

As the ship remains stuck in the Port of Baltimore, where it may remain for weeks, the lives of the crew members have entered an uncertain phase. But one thing is certain: They will no longer cruise through the sea around South Africa toward their destination in Sri Lanka anytime soon.

But they are not going to imminently dock at the port either, as they must wait for enough debris to be cleared to free the ship and reopen the channel to one of the busiest ports in the United States. On Saturday, the governor of Maryland said officials planned to remove the first piece of the debris.

So, for now, crew members are most likely working a grueling schedule to maintain the ship that is similar to the one they would be if they were out at sea. The difference, though, is that they are in an immobile state as the eyes of the world fixate on them, experts said.

“The captain of the vessel and the crew have a duty to the ship,” said Stephen Frailey, a partner at Pacific Maritime Group, which helps with marine salvage and wreck removal.

According to Chris James, who works for a consulting firm assisting the ship’s management company, Synergy Marine, the crew members have ample supplies of food and water, as well as plenty of fuel to keep the generators going. Indeed, when Jennifer Homendy, the chair of the National Transportation Safety Board, went onboard the ship this week, she observed the cook cooking. “It smelled very good,” she said.

But there is still no exact timeline for when the ship might be extracted from the wreckage, Mr. James said. Once the N.T.S.B. and the Coast Guard finish their investigations, he said, “we’ll look at potentially swapping the crew out and getting them home.”

India, the home country of the crew members, is one of the world’s largest hubs for seafarers, according to John A. Konrad, a ship captain and the chief executive of gCaptain, a maritime and offshore industry news website. Though Indian captains and engineers are paid less than their American counterparts, Mr. Konrad said, they make a decent living when they work for three or more months out of the year at sea.

Working on a cargo ship, he said, is a 24-hour ordeal with no weekends off: Every day, decks are checked for maintenance and safety, cooks and cleaners serve the other members, and workers in the engine room keep things on track.

Cargo ship crew members do have some leisurely activities available to them onboard, though, such as video game breaks in cabins, workouts in gyms, table tennis sessions and movie nights. The Dali crew has at least a TV, magazines and books onboard, said Andrew Middleton, who runs Apostleship of the Sea, a program that ministers to sailors coming through the port.

Clistan Joy Sequeira, an Indian seafarer who was not on the Dali but who docked in Baltimore from another cargo ship on Friday, said in an interview that he feared the repercussions that the bridge collapse could have on his industry and his country.

“I’m scared that because this crew is Indian, our international image will suffer,” said Mr. Sequeira, 31. “Maybe we lose jobs.”

Some in Baltimore’s port community have had some contact with the Dali crew, albeit brief, through third parties or WhatsApp. Mr. Messick said he sent the crew two Wi-Fi hot spots on Friday because they did not have internet onboard.

Mr. Middleton said he had been keeping in touch with two crew members, reminding them that “we’re here for them.”

“When I’ve asked how they’re doing, their answers range from ‘good’ to ‘great,’” he said. “So, by their own accounts, they’re OK.”

Mr. Messick said he had also sent a care package to the crew through a salvage company helping with operations. In the package were candy, home-baked muffins from a concerned local and thank-you cards from children.

With so many questions still unanswered about the crew members’ next steps, Mr. Messick said he was eager to provide them with trauma care and emotional support. On Friday, he wrote a letter to the captain, which was delivered by another vessel.

“We’re here to support you,” it read.

Mike Baker contributed reporting.

Eduardo Medina is a Times reporter covering the South. An Alabama native, he is now based in Durham, N.C. More about Eduardo Medina

History of Now

A Massive Crane Helping With the Baltimore Bridge Cleanup Was Built to Recover a Sunken Soviet Submarine

The Chesapeake 1000 was used to construct a ship for a top-secret CIA mission in the 1970s

Daily Correspondent

Cleanup efforts are underway in Baltimore, where the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River last month after being struck by a cargo ship .

Removing pieces of the mangled bridge from the river will be a massive undertaking that  could take weeks . To help with this process, officials are bringing in  several large cranes , including one with an unusual past: the Chesapeake 1000.

More than 50 years ago, the Chesapeake 1000 (originally dubbed the Sun 800) played a vital role in a secret CIA mission called Project Azorian, a multi-year effort to recover a sunken Soviet submarine, according to the  Washington Post ’s Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff and Praveena Somasundaram.

The 1,750-ton vessel, called K-129 , disappeared in the Pacific Ocean in 1968. United States officials eventually found it submerged 16,500 feet deep, roughly 1,800 miles northwest of Hawaii.

“It was thought that there was at least one nuclear weapon aboard the sub,” Todd Bennett, a historian at East Carolina University who wrote a book about the project , tells NPR ’s Kathryn Fink. “And even more importantly, the portion of the sub that the CIA targeted contained a code room, a working code machine and then materials it was thought that explained how that device worked.”

Officials wanted to recover this information; they also wanted to gain insight into the Soviet submarine manufacturing process to improve their ability to detect the stealthy vessels. But first, they needed to bring the sub to the surface.

Enter Project Azorian. The CIA hatched an ambitious plan to build a ship with a powerful hydraulic system and a claw that could lift the wreckage from the depths.

“To discover [the submarine], that’s one thing,” Bennett tells the  Associated Press ’ Ben Finley. “But to have the wherewithal to try to devise a way to recover that piece of hardware is really remarkable. It’s been compared—and rightly so—to an underwater moonshot.”

So as not to alert the Soviets, the CIA devised a cover story involving Howard Hughes , the billionaire aerospace engineer and film producer. To everyone outside the CIA, it would appear that Hughes was building a 618-foot-long vessel called the Hughes Glomar Explorer for deep-sea mining.

The ship was constructed at Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Co. in Chester, Pennsylvania, where workers also had no idea they were involved in a covert mission. As part of this process, the team created the Sun 800, a floating derrick that could lift heavy parts onto the vessel , reports the  Maritime Executive .

The crane was named for the number of tons it could lift. For example, the Sun 800’s “signature achievement” was hoisting the Glomar Explorer ’s 630-ton gimbal during construction, per the Washington Post .

In 1973, the Glomar Explorer sailed for the first time, traveling from Pennsylvania toward Bermuda for testing, as  Smithsonian magazine ’s Lila Thulin wrote in 2019. After sailing around South America, it arrived in Long Beach, California, where it was loaded with equipment.

The giant claw was built separately in Redwood City, California, on a barge called HMB-1 . In the spring of 1974, HMB-1 and the Glomar Explorer met up near Catalina Island for the claw handoff.

A few months later, the Glomar Explorer headed to the wreckage of K-129 . Crews lowered the claw “by adding 60-foot sections of supporting steel pipe, one at a time,” per the CIA . “When it reached the submarine section, the capture vehicle then had to be positioned to straddle the sunken submarine section, and its powerful jaws had to grab the hull.”

The sub ultimately broke apart during this process. Crews were able to recover only about a third of it, along with the bodies of six Soviet submariners. They gave the men a formal military burial at sea.

Unfortunately, Project Azorian didn’t turn up any significant intelligence—at least according to the CIA.

“The conventional wisdom has become that this was a failed mission,” Vince Houghton, former curator of the International Spy Museum, told Smithsonian in 2019. “[The CIA has] allowed that belief to be what everyone understands, but why would they not? I always say, ‘We have no idea what they got.’”

Media outlets learned of Project Azorian in early 1975, when thieves broke into Hughes’ office and stole documents related to the mission. Early news stories were filled with errors: For example, reporters called the mission “Project Jennifer.”

Plans to return to the site and recover the rest of the sub were ultimately quashed. The Glomar Explorer was later renamed and used for deep-sea oil drilling and exploration.

The Sun 800 wasn’t present for the recovery attempt, but it “played an essential role in making it happen,” as the Maritime Executive writes. In 1993, the crane  found a new home with current owner  Donjon Marine Co. Inc . The company refurbished it and renamed it the Chesapeake 1000, as it can now lift up to 1,000 tons.

Since then, the Chesapeake 1000 has helped with other big projects, including recovery efforts after Hurricane Sandy, per the Washington Post . Now, in Baltimore, it’s “on standby for when we need to go to larger lifts,” said U.S. Navy Captain Sal Suarez, who is leading the salvage operations, at a news conference, as reported by the  Baltimore Sun ’s Abigail Gruskin.

The crane’s primary purpose will be lifting pieces of the bridge that fell onto the cargo ship, per the Washington Post . It has its work cut out for it: In total, those pieces weigh about 3,000 to 4,000 tons.

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Sarah Kuta is a writer and editor based in Longmont, Colorado. She covers history, science, travel, food and beverage, sustainability, economics and other topics.

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Memorial displays south korean navy ship apparently torpedoed by north korea.

U.S. soldiers visit the remains of the ROKS Cheonan at 2nd Fleet Command headquarters in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, March 7, 2024. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes)

The ROKS Cheonan Memorial is a must-see site near Osan Air Base and Camp Humphreys that honors 46 South Korean navy sailors who perished 14 years ago when their ship sank after an attack in the Yellow Sea.

A North Korean torpedo is believed to have struck the corvette, and the resulting explosion split the vessel in two. Nearly half its crew of 104 perished when it sank.

The ship’s stern was raised a month after the attack.

The ROKS Cheonan Memorial is at 2nd Fleet Command headquarters in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes)

In January, Cmdr. Park Yeon-soo, who as a young navy lieutenant survived the sinking, took command of a Daegu-class corvette, also called the Cheonan, promising to remember the “46 warriors” of its namesake.

Located at 2nd Fleet Command headquarters in Pyeongtaek, the tour begins with a series of videos explaining the history behind the memorial and its significance to the South Korean people.

A guide shows visitors to a hall where artifacts and miniatures provide further detail and context about the event. The artifacts include weapon systems pulled from the ship and sections of the vessel.

The tour then takes you underneath what remains of the Cheonan. Sight of the damage really puts into perspective the massive destructive power of the torpedo.

The guide then takes visitors to Cheonan Memorial Hall for a self-guided tour. There, visitors are met with a replica of the Cheonan ship’s flag.

Throughout the memorial hall are rooms built to re-create the interior of the Cheonan, including the engine room, bunks and radar control room.

The fallen ROKS Cheonan sailors’ ID tags and names are displayed inside a memorial at 2nd Fleet Command headquarters n Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (Luis Garcia/Stars and Stripes)

The Floral Tribute Table brings the entire experience into perspective. The lost sailors’ ID tags are suspended from the ceiling and their names are displayed on a wall beneath the tags.

The Cheonan Memorial is a moving tribute to these sailors’ sacrifice. A visit requires a reservation for one of three time slots at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. or 3 p.m.

Directions: A short drive from Camp Humphreys or Osan Air Base. Gyeonggi-do, Pyeongtaek-si, Poseung-eup, 2hamdae-gil, 122 KR

Times: Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; closed Sunday and Monday.

Costs: Free, but reservations are required.

Food: None at the memorial.

Information: Phone: 031-685-4123; Online: navy.mil.kr

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WESTERN MOSCOW

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The current position of WESTERN MOSCOW is in Singapore Strait with coordinates 1.26577° / 104.18578° as reported on 2024-04-04 18:31 by AIS to our vessel tracker app. The vessel's current speed is 10.1 Knots and is heading at the port of DONGJIAKOU . The estimated time of arrival as calculated by MyShipTracking vessel tracking app is LT 2024-04-13 19:00 UTC 2024-04-13 11:00 '>2024-04-13 11:00 LT

The vessel WESTERN MOSCOW (IMO: 9855410, MMSI: 548980000) is a Cargo It's sailing under the flag of [PH] Philippines .

In this page you can find informations about the vessels current position, last detected port calls, and current voyage information. If the vessels is not in coverage by AIS you will find the latest position.

The current position of WESTERN MOSCOW is detected by our AIS receivers and we are not responsible for the reliability of the data. The last position was recorded while the vessel was in Coverage by the Ais receivers of our vessel tracking app.

The current draught of WESTERN MOSCOW as reported by AIS is 10 meters

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Baltimore bridge collapse wasn't first major accident for giant container ship Dali

Propulsion failed on the cargo ship that struck the Francis Key Bridge in Baltimore early Tuesday as it was leaving port, causing it to collapse into the frigid Patapsco River. Its crew warned Maryland officials of a possible collision because they had lost control.

“The vessel notified MD Department of Transportation (MDOT) that they had lost control of the vessel” and a collision with the bridge “was possible,” according to an unclassified Department of Homeland Security report. “The vessel struck the bridge causing a complete collapse.”

An official speaking on condition of anonymity confirmed to USA TODAY that the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is working with federal, state, and local officials “to understand the potential impacts of this morning’s collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.”

Clay Diamond, executive director, American Pilots’ Association, told USA TODAY power issues are not unusual on cargo ships, which are so large they cannot easily course correct.

“It’s likely that virtually every pilot in the country has experienced a power loss of some kind (but) it generally is momentary,” Diamond said. “This was a complete blackout of all the power on the ship, so that’s unusual. Of course this happened at the worst possible location.” 

The ship in Tuesday's crash, Dali, was involved in at least one prior accident when it collided with a shipping pier in Belgium.

That 2016 incident occurred as the Dali was leaving port in Antwerp and struck a loading pier made of stone, causing damage to the ship’s stern, according to VesselFinder.com, a site that tracks ships across the world. An investigation determined a mistake made by the ship’s master and pilot was to blame.

No one was injured in that crash, although the ship required repair and a full inspection before being returned to service. The pier – or berth – was also seriously damaged and had to be closed.

VesselFinder reports that the Dali was chartered by Maersk, the same company chartering it during the Baltimore harbor incident.

The 9-year-old container ship had passed previous inspections during its time at sea, but during one such inspection in June at the Port of San Antonio in Chile, officials discovered a deficiency with its "propulsion and auxiliary machinery (gauges, thermometers, etc)," according to the Tokyo MOU, an intergovernmental maritime authority in the Asia-Pacific region.

The report provided no other information about the deficiency except to note that it was not serious enough to remove the ship from service.

Follow here for live updates: Baltimore's Key Bridge collapses after ship strike; construction crew missing: Live Updates

Why did Dali crash into the Baltimore bridge?

Officials said Tuesday they’re investigating the collision, including whether systems on board lost electricity early Tuesday morning, which could be related to mechanical failure, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Accidents at sea, known as marine casualties, are not uncommon, the source told USA TODAY. However, “allisions,” in which a moving object strikes a stationary one with catastrophic results, are far less common. The investigation of the power loss aboard the Dali, a Singapore-flagged vessel, will be a high priority.

In a video posted to social media, lights on the Dali shut off, then turned back on, then shut off again before the ship struck a support pier on the bridge.

Numerous cargo and cruise ships have lost power over the years.

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires all international vessels to have two independent sources of electricity, both of which should be able to maintain the ship's seaworthiness on their own, according to a safety study about power failures on ships , citing the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

The Dali's emergency generator was likely responsible for the lights coming back on after the initial blackout, Diamond said.

“There was still some steerage left when they initially lost power,” he said. “We’ve been told the ship never recovered propulsion. The emergency generator is a diesel itself – so if you light off the generator, that’s also going to put off a puff of exhaust.”

Under maritime law, all foreign flagged vessels must be piloted into state ports by a state licensed pilot so the Dali's pilot is licensed by Association of Maryland Pilots .

Diamond described the incident based on information from the Maryland agency that licensed the pilot aboard the ship. His organization represents that group and all other state piloting agencies in the US.

“The pilot was directing navigation of the ship as it happened,” he said. “He asked the captain to get the engines back online. They weren’t able to do that, so the pilot took all the action he could. He tried to steer, to keep the ship in the channel. He also dropped the ship’s anchor to slow the ship and guide the direction.

“Neither one was enough. The ship never did regain its engine power.”

How big is the Dali ship?

The Dali is a 984-foot container vessel built in 2015 by Hyundai Heavy Industries in South Korea. With a cruising speed of about 22 knots – roughly 25 mph. It has traveled the world carrying goods from port to port.

The ship, constructed of high-strength steel, has one engine and one propeller, according to MarineTraffic.com.

The Dali arrived in Baltimore on Sunday from the Port of Norfolk in Virginia. Before that, it had been in New York and came through the Panama Canal.

It remains at the scene of the collapse as authorities investigate.

Who owns and operates the Dali?

It is owned by the Singapore-based Grace Ocean Pte Ltd but managed by Synergy Marine Group, also based in Singapore. It was carrying Maersk customers’ cargo, according to a statement from the shipping company.

“We are deeply concerned by this incident and are closely monitoring the situation,” Maersk said in the statement. 

Synergy, which describes itself as a leading ship manager with more than 600 vessels under its guidance, issued a statement on its website acknowledging the incident and reporting no injuries among its crew and no pollution in the water. There were two pilots on board and 22 crew members in all, according to Synergy, all of them from India.

USA TODAY reached out to Synergy on Tuesday, but the company did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Contributing: Josh Susong

News | First Navy ship docks at Seal Beach weapons…

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News | First Navy ship docks at Seal Beach weapons station’s new ammunitions pier

A guided-missile destroyer pulled up alongside the pier at the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach on Tuesday, April 9, marking new opportunities for the base.

Primary construction recently finished to open the new pier that will allow multiple ships, and larger ships , to dock for loading up munitions supplies. The Seal Beach station is the primary munitions storage and maintenance installation for the Navy’s Pacific Fleet.

“This new expanded pier facility provides destroyers and other fleet assets with expanded logistical capacity to arm faster and more efficiently,” said the base’s commanding officer, Capt. Jessica O’Brien, in a statement, calling the new facility “vital for warfighting readiness.”

The pier replaces an older wharf built in 1954, which could only handle one destroyer-sized ship at a time. This larger pier “will allow dual ship operations, along with the ability to support much larger vessels such as general purpose amphibious assault ships nearly three football fields long,” officials said in an announcement of the first ship to visit, the USS Paul Hamilton.

“We should see an increase in the volume of ships coming in, and we will also see an improved flexibility to support the fleet,” said Roosevelt Simmons, West Coast executive director of Navy Munitions Command Pacific.

Officials said there are a few remaining bits of work to complete, but all construction should be finished by the summer.

The $155 million project started in 2019 ; first completed was a new boating channel that directed civilians traveling past the base on their way to and from the Huntington Harbor further away from the Navy operations. That channel, dug out of an unused section of Anaheim Bay, opened in 2021.

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Russia establishes special site to fabricate fuel for China’s CFR-600

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A special production site to fabricate fuel for China’s CFR-600 fast reactor under construction has been established at Russia’s Mashinostroitelny Zavod (MSZ - Machine-Building Plant) in Elektrostal (Moscow region), part of Rosatom’s TVEL Fuel Company. 

As part of the project, MSZ had upgraded existing facilities fo the production of fuel for fast reactors, TVEL said on 3 March. Unique equipment has been created and installed, and dummy CFR-600 fuel assemblies have already been manufactured for testing.

The new production site was set up to service an export contract between TVEL and the Chinese company CNLY (part of China National Nuclear Corporation - CNNC) for the supply of uranium fuel for CFR-600 reactors. Construction of the first CFR-600 unit started in Xiapu County, in China's Fujian province in late 2017 followed by the second unit in December 2020. The contract is for the start-up fuel load, as well as refuelling for the first seven years. The start of deliveries is scheduled for 2023.

“The Russian nuclear industry has a unique 40 years of experience in operating fast reactors, as well as in the production of fuel for such facilities,” said TVEL President Natalya Nikipelova. “The Fuel Division of Rosatom is fulfilling its obligations within the framework of Russian-Chinese cooperation in the development of fast reactor technologies. These are unique projects when foreign design fuel is produced in Russia. Since 2010, the first Chinese fast neutron reactor CEFR has been operating on fuel manufactured at the Machine-Building Plant, and for the supply of CFR-600 fuel, a team of specialists from MSZ and TVEL has successfully completed a complex high-tech project to modernise production,” she explained.

A special feature of the new section is its versatility: this equipment will be used to produce fuel intended for both the Chinese CFR-600 and CEFR reactors and the Russian BN-600 reactor of the Beloyarsk NPP. In the near future, the production of standard products for the BN-600 will begin.

The contract for the supply of fuel for the CFR-600 was signed in December 2018 as part of a governmental agreement between Russia and China on cooperation in the construction and operation of a demonstration fast neutron reactor in China. This is part of a wider comprehensive programme of cooperation in the nuclear energy sector over the coming decades. This includes serial construction of the latest Russian NPP power units with generation 3+ VVER-1200 reactors at two sites in China (Tianwan and Xudabao NPPs). A package of intergovernmental documents and framework contracts for these projects was signed in 2018 during a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

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