Swire to close New Zealand's Pacifica service and withdraw last flagged boxship

Swire Shipping will close its Pacifica coastal container service at the end of July, bringing to an end operations by the last New Zealand-flagged container ship in the country's domestic trade. The company said the service would cease after consultations with seafarers and shore-based staff.

The final voyage of the 1,740 TEU Moana Chief is scheduled to leave Auckland on 23 July and reach Lyttelton on 26 July, closing out nearly seven years in the coastal trade, although port scheduling suggests the exact timing could still shift. The vessel will then sail to Asia for mandatory drydocking, as no suitable facility is available in New Zealand.

The operator was unable to secure replacement tonnage because of limited vessel availability and high charter rates, and pointed to weaker domestic demand, port constraints and an uneven regulatory environment as further pressures. Talks are continuing with potential buyers for the business, but no firm offer has been received and the discussions may not lead to a formal bid. The closure will not affect the group's international services linking New Zealand with Asia and the Pacific Islands, and it will remain active in domestic freight through a separate logistics arm.

The coastal business began operating in New Zealand in 1985 and was acquired by its current owner in 2014. The Moana Chief, built in 2011 in China, has capacity for 1,740 TEU and 300 refrigerated containers and carries a crew of 16.