Passengers have been urged to be mindful of fellow travellers and to use available seating considerately, as concerns were raised publicly about the perceived overcrowding of the Lomaiviti Princess VII.
The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) says the vessel, which departed for Gau and Koro islands on Sunday, February 1 2026, complied fully with its approved passenger capacity and safety requirements and was granted clearance to sail.
According to MSAF, officers conducted the required pre-departure inspections, including passenger headcounts, to ensure the vessel did not exceed its certified passenger limit.
MSAF says clearance is issued only after all safety and capacity requirements have been satisfactorily met.
MSAF say they have acknowledged that inter-island vessels may at times appear overcrowded due to passenger movement, seating arrangements, and the way available space is utilised, including passengers sitting or lying down during the journey.
They say this perception is a common misunderstanding among members of the public.
The authority is reminding passengers to be considerate when using shared spaces to help ensure that seating and onboard areas can be used fairly and comfortably by everyone.
They reiterate that it will not permit any vessel to sail unless all maritime safety standards are fully complied with, stressing that the safety of passengers and crew remains its highest priority.
