Vanimo faces 3-month shortage as shipping crisis leaves shops empty

Shops across Vanimo have been running empty for almost three months, with basic household items like rice, tin fish, sugar, and coffee in short supply.

The far northwestern town relies on cargo ships to bring in goods from Lae. But with only one shipping line now servicing the port, delays have hit businesses and families hard.

Consort Shipping Services and Bismark Maritime are the two main lines that operate to Vanimo Port.

According to the Sandaun Chamber of Commerce, Consort Express Lines suddenly stopped its service to Vanimo in early 2026.

That decision has left a backlog of cargo in Lae.

"Business houses have raised concerns over the backlogs of cargo in Lae that still needs to be shipped here to Vanimo," said Sandaun Chamber of Commerce President Gerald Gubon.

Consort Express was the primary domestic coastal shipper, connecting 15 to 17 ports across PNG,
stopping its route to Vanimo has caused halts in businesses in Vanimo, Bismark Maritime is now the only shipping line shipping cargoes to Vanimo.

Chamber officials estimate there are 30 to 40 containers of goods still stuck in Lae waiting to be shipped.

During a tour of the new MV Karkar by Lutheran Shipping yesterday, business houses asked if Lutheran Shipping could assist by bringing in another cargo ship to clear the backlog.

The Chamber said it has already raised the issue with the Sandaun Provincial Government.

"We hope to find better ways to get a cargo ship in to ship all the backloads of cargo from Lae to Vanimo," Gubon said.

Residents and business owners are now calling on the government and shipping companies to restore regular services to avoid further shortages.