American Samoa may seek JV partner for Satala shipyard

JUNE 17, 2012 — With a 3,000 ton Crandall Marine Railway able to handle vessels up to 360 ft, the shipyard in Satala, near Pago Pago, American Samoa, was described by former operator MYD Marine as “the largest commercial shipyard and yacht repair facility in the South Pacific.” However, MYD Marine filed for bankruptcy protection last year and the yard has been handed back to the government of American Samoa. Now, the facility “looks like a junkyard,” according to David Robinson, Vice Chairman of the Board of the American Samoa Shipyard Services Authority, an agency set up by the government last month.

Radio New Zealand reports that Mr. Robinson told a hearing of the Senate Government Operations Committee it will be up to a new administration to decide if the government facility is privatized and that the authority is planning to go into a joint venture with an-off island company once the shipyard has been fully restored to a professional standard.

He said the board’s plan was to spend two years upgrading the shipyard and discuss plans for a joint venture with an off-island company.

“One of the things that we have talked about is the possibility of privatization and introducing a joint venture partner to come with us who might come from Singapore or Hong Kong or one of the other places where there are some very, very strong professional ship yards,” he is reported as saying.