Find Freight, Shipping and Logistics expertise in Samoa

Freight and shipping of goods in Samoa mainly takes place mainly via water but also land and air.

The European Commission estimates that, in 2010, Samoa imported €0.3 billion worth of machinery and equipment, industrial supplies and foodstuffs from New Zealand, China and Fiji. It exported fish, coconut products, automotive parts, garments and beer to American Samoa, Australia and US with a value of €0.1b illion.

The transport infrastructure in Samoa consists of four airports (the main international airport dealing with airfreight being Faleolo International Airport on Apia island) and 2, 337  km of roadway of which the majority is unpaved. The country has two merchant marine vessels, one of which is owned by New Zealand, and are cargo and passenger/cargo vessels.

The country has four ports at Apia, Mulifanua, Salelologa and Asau which are overseen by the Samoan Ports Authority (SPA). The main port Apia handles 97% of all foreign trade cargoes.  The port underwent an extension to its berth in the 2000s. It now has two berths (185m and 166m in length and 12m deep), a 12,700 sq metre container yard, two cargo sheds and a staging area of 4,500 square metres giving it an increased capacity to receive more shipping tonnage. International shipping lines connect Samoa with New Zealand, Australia, Fiji Islands, Tonga and the Cook Islands Internal movement of goods between Samoa’s two main islands Savai’i and Upolu takes place via ferry on a regular basis, daily.

Major logistics companies have a presence in Samoa; DHL and TNT operate directly in the country and UPS is represented by Freight Plus Samoa Ltd. They offer freight forwarding and courier services. The maritime division of the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Labour are important bodies which oversee this sector.