Ticket prices for the busy maritime transport between French Polynesia’s main island, Tahiti, and its close neighbor, Moorea, have increased since April and might rise further in June. An announcement from the shipowners involved in this service which attracts hundreds of passengers daily, or even more during holidays or long weekends. The reason put forward: the rise in the price of hydrocarbons.
« We suffered an increase of 10 francs per liter of fuel in February,” recalls Samuel Matton, sales and marketing manager of the Degage group (Aremiti), interviewed by our partners from Radio 1 Tahiti. This increase has not been passed on to customers for the past two months. On January 26, the government announced an increase of 5 francs at the pump. “Over the year, this represents an increase in expenses of 120 million XPF, which is enormous given the operations that we have “, explique Samuel Matton. “Not to mention the contribution for solidarity and the general increase in the prices of our service providers. Unfortunately we might not not review our rates.
The observation is the same on the side of the competing shipowner, Terevau, which estimates for its part at 20 million XPF per year this increase in hydrocarbons. The shipowner has therefore decided to increase its ticket by 80 fcfp, “not out of glee of heart”. The third owner of the service, which launched with a brand new ship in 2021, announced a 2% increase to remain competitive. At the historic Aremiti, the cost of hydrocarbons is passed on in a heterogeneous way to the various products, the subscriptions for example of the residents of Moorea remain the same.
« If the customer takes a one-way ticket, there is an increase which is still quite significant”and from there Samuel Matton “on the other hand, as soon as the customer takes a round trip, the increase is only 50 francs per ticket. We have created articles so that the customer can find his way around”. The three shipowners are talking regarding a revaluation in June. Because for the time being, the government is blocking the rise through its Hydrocarbon Price Regulation Fund (FRPH) until June.
And precisely, while the local government decided to block these prices, it expressed its astonishment at the increase in the price of boat tickets. ” The forecast cost for the FRPH of stabilizing the price of hydrocarbons during the first half of 2022 is 5 billion XPF. This effort by the community is precisely aimed at avoiding a detrimental impact on consumers explains the Polynesian government.
« The price of diesel sold to shuttles making the journey between Tahiti and Moorea was therefore maintained, in 2022, at a lower level than in 2018 », taking into account the increase mentioned above. ” The government notes that the significant drops in the price of diesel recorded between January 2020 and January 2022 had not given rise to a proportional drop in passenger fares, and is therefore surprised by the revaluation observed today in shuttle fares. ».
With AFP.