Pacific Direct Line has reaffirmed its commitment to serving Tahiti, in French Polynesia, following Maersk Line’s announcement that it will withdraw from the Tahiti trade.

Pacific Direct Line entered into a vessel-sharing agreement with Maersk Line two years ago. Consequently, it stopped serving Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia, with its own vessel as a direct port call, and, through the VSA, began offering a 14-day fixed schedule service.

Now that Maersk Line has withdrawn from the trade, Pacific Direct Line has chartered an R-Class vessel from its owners PIL that will be introduced to the Tahiti service “shortly,” the company said in a written statement.

The ship is 13,000 deadweight tons with a capacity of 800 20-foot-equivalent units. It has a service speed of 16 knots, which the company said is sufficient to maintain the 14-day schedule.

The Journal of Commerce