Fiji Reopens to yachts w/ ‘Blue Lane’ initiative
In a move to open up its islands to visiting yachts and pleasure craft, the Fijian government has announced that it plans to establish a ‘Blue Lane’ initiative that will allow boats to call at the South Pacific islands.
One Point of Entry
In an International Boating Industry article, according to a Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) report, only one port of entry will initially operate — Port Denarau Marina, the main yachting hub for the Fiji Islands.
The report says that Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will consider the entry of yachts and pleasure craft on a case-by-case basis. The ‘Blue Lane’ strategy will be run for an unspecified pilot period and if this proves successful, then similar schemes will be introduced at other ports and marinas.
The FBC report indicates that if a yacht’s voyage to Fiji has taken 14 days or longer totally at sea, and upon docking they provide a negative test result and screening of all people onboard for Covid-19, then they will be allowed to sail elsewhere throughout the Fiji Islands. The Prime Minister stated that those eligible to sail to Fiji fall under two categories, both of which will require them to be tested in another country before departing.
Quarantine Upon Arrival
In the event that the voyage to Fiji was less than 14 days, then all those onboard will be required to be in quarantine until the period is fulfilled and they will have to dock in Fiji at their own cost. Cruise ships for now remain strictly forbidden to visit Fiji.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister made known that: “Interest has been expressed in using the Pacific for travel, maintenance, and stocking in the build-up to the 36th America’s Cup next year, in which Fiji could be used as a safe ‘parking lot’ until the start of the start of cyclone season.”
Over the past couple of years, the yacht market in the South Pacific location has been expanding steadily and is increasingly becoming a more significant contributor to the country’s economy. In 2019 the yachting sector in Fiji generated some F$61m (about $30m). This involved some 720 visiting yachts and nearly 4,500 associated visitors.