WWW.SAMOASUPPORT.COM

We are cognizant that our principle business activity of wholesale matured many years ago and we have gracefully accepted that the South Pacific is our recognized market niche. In an effort to expand our horizons without interfering with our original business base, we have sought opportunities of growth that clearly demonstrate we are not in conflict with our longstanding customer base. Naturally with the airfreight tonnage we move to the South Pacific we enjoy very competitive rating structures with the respective carriers serving “our market niche”. Our expansion into the South Pacific islands beginning with Fiji fifteen years ago is an example of what we have set out to achieve; riding on the back of our Australia/N.Z. traffic and growing our business.

When we decided to become the South Pacific air and ocean experts seventeen years ago we had no idea of how it might all develop. Four years ago a local forwarder came to us with a huge problem. A twelve ton reel of fiber optic cable urgently required for a cable laying ship waiting in Fiji had missed the vessel in New York. Cable laying ships are in huge demand and are booked up years in advance. The decision was made by the owners that if the reel could not arrive within fourteen days the ship would depart without completing the job. The forwarder after days of trying to find a way to move the freight through Sydney and then by ship to Lautoka within the time frame, finally gave up and called us. The problem was solved and the freight was delivered to ship’s side seventy two hours later. How? We arranged a “part charter” on the Qantas freighter direct from New York. In other words we incentified Qantas to make a fueling stop in Nadi instead of Honolulu. That forwarder was none other than Tony Feist, who was so impressed with this achievement he did a Victor Kiam of Remington fame; “I liked the product so much I bought the company!”. Tony has been with us three years and heads up our Pacific Islands’ operations.

Prior to the Tsunami disaster in September of 2009, President Obama’s stimulus plan included not only the fifty states of the nation but also territories under administration. Through www.tunasupport.com we have built up a close working relationship with the processors as well as the tuna fishing fleet owners and all mainland suppliers. The stimulus plan is responsible for expansion taking place for the largest employer in American Samoa, the tuna fishing and processing industry. With this flurry of activity all sorts of players are entering the market, some for the first time. New facilities are being constructed and new equipment purchased to replace the old. We have become adept at project shipping, especially the handling of heavy weight and outsized freight. In fact our very first shipment way back in July of 1993 was a “six position” 747 main deck move ex Munro, Louisiana to Melbourne Australia. It was a packaging machine for Coca Cola’s Victorian plant.

From humble beginnings seventeen years ago, CII has been asked to handle many time-sensitive, heavy weight and out-sized shipments by air and sea. We have not failed on one mission. By bringing this expertise to a market which is so dear and important to us, we believe the value we can add and the savings we can make will draw us even closer to our friends of the South Pacific islands. There is not one American company as focused as us to this market. We have on the ground support in all the major islands, especially American Samoa that we can confidently boast no job is too big or for that matter too small for us to handle.

American Samoa has already enjoyed the fruits of our expertise immediately following the Tsunami disaster. Not only did we purchase several diesel generating machines, but they were on the next light out to Pago Pago. Within forty eight hours power was being supplied to hundreds of Samoan families devastated by the flood damage. As the Samoas are being rebuilt, Tony Feist and his team are the South Pacific islands 24/7 support center. Our services include order procurement, order progressing and monitoring, assembly, storage, consolidation and freighting by air or sea. Our service is personal from a team of people who consider the South Pacific as their second home. We understand the challenges in moving freight to this part of the world. Because of our passion for the business we are in we only seek and see solutions from those challenges!