Shipping deluged with cargo

Warehouse forklift operator James Laidren maneuvers around a packed warehouse last week at the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation warehouse at Uliga Dock. Photo: Hilary Hosia.
Warehouse forklift operator James Laidren maneuvers around a packed warehouse last week at the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation warehouse at Uliga Dock. Photo: Hilary Hosia.

HILARY HOSIA

If anyone deserves praise this graduation season, it’s the hard working folks manning the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation’s warehouse — from forklift operators to the personnel at receiving.

The scene at Uliga Dock was busy with families departing to see their family members graduating on outer islands last week. Some were seen booking trips for the same purpose while some businesses negotiated to have items delivered to their outlet stores in the outer islands.

Last week, warehouse personnel spent numerous hours loading and packing onto three time-sensitive vessels: MVs Majuro, Ribuuk Ae and Kwajalein.

In the heat of packing last Wednesday, truckloads of goods were stored inside an already packed warehouse because MV Majuro exceeded loading capacity before departing to Ailonlaplap, Jabat and Namu.

MV Kwajalein was later filled to maximum capacity (goods and passengers) before heading off on a voyage to Lib, Kwajalein, Ebadon, Mejatto, Ujae, Lae and Wotho before returning to Majuro.

That same week, MV Kwajalein sailed to Aur, Maloelap, Wotje , Ailuk, Mejit and Likiep and slingshotted back to Majuro.

Read more about this in the June 1, 2018 edition of the Marshall Islands Journal.