Lutherans welcome K14mil ship

The K14 million Lutheran Shipping Services-owned flagship mv Ialibu sailed into Asiawi Wharf at Voco Point, in Lae, on Saturday.
Hundreds of Lutherans welcomed the vessel, after several years of suffering, since the closure of Lutheran Shipping.
Ialibu will ease the transport burden faced by coastal people of Morobe and neighbouring maritime provinces. The ship will start weekly services to Finschhafen and Wasu in Tewi-Siassi, and fortnightly to Lablab in Siassi.
There are also plans for monthly voyages to Oro Bay, in Popondetta, and Kimbe, in West New Britain, depending on demand.
Mv Ialibu can carry 215 passengers and 135 tonnes of cargo, or 400 passengers without heavy cargo.
Morobe Governor Ginson Saonu, Tourism Promotion Authority chairman and Nawaeb MP Kennedy Wenge, and Lutheran faithful were at the wharf when the ship arrived.
Prominent Lutheran layman and former Lae MP Bart Philemon, the chairman of the committee that worked hard to bring back the church’s shipping service, shed tears as he told of how his sick daughter, Emma, had forced him to take up the cause.
A group from Emmanuel District of the church travelled four hours from Southern Highlands to welcome the ship with a song.
Lutheran Shipping Services Ltd is the successor of former Lutheran Shipping (Luship), under Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG’s business arm
Kambang Holdings, which was liquidated.
Ialibu, in ELCPNG’s Emmanuel district, is the last post of the church’s mission work which was started in Simbang, Finschhafen, by pioneer Lutheran missionary John Flierl in 1886.
The vessel was welcomed with a rededication service led by Head Bishop Rev Jack Urame.
A kasali, a traditional sailing canoe from Buingim in Bukawa, escorted the ship into Lae.