SOFRANA Shipping line

For over forty years, our company has taken a pioneering role in shipping throughout Australasia and the South Pacific region, becoming one of the most trusted regional international shipping lines.

Our commitment to quality customer service has enabled us to forge loyal relationships with a broad range of large, medium and small businesses whilst still catering to personal and “one off” shipping customers.

Since 1968 we have been connecting New Zealand and Australia to various South Pacific countries, including Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, Vanuatu, Wallis, Futuna, Samoa, Tonga, American Samoa and more. Below is a presentation of the different trades we cover, with relevant vessels, ports and frequencies.

Historically, the company started in 1968 with MS Moana chartered to the French government to service the islands of Wallis & Futuna from New Caledonia, via Fiji and the New Hebrides (Vanuatu). Hence our logo incorporating the Wallis & Futuna cross, a well known identifier of the Sofrana services in the region.

Over the years, this small shipping operation has developed into a strong and diversified group. The shipping arm of the Sofrana Group is Sofrana Unilines (NZ) Ltd, a legal entity registered and managed in Auckland, New Zealand.

Through shipping and also other complementary activities, the group is well established in six countries within the South Pacific region, being New Caledonia, New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu, French Polynesia, Wallis & Futuna. In addition, the shipping activities allow the Sofrana flag to be flown in Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Samoa and American Samoa.

Other than Liner Shipping, our group is involved in land-based logistics (agency, stevedoring, freight forwarding), trading and distribution, fisheries (fishing and plant processing). More than 400 staff are directly employed by the Sofrana group.