Neptune Pacific Line announced on Wednesday that it had reached an agreement with the Government of Samoa to purchase a 50% controlling interest in Pacific Forum Line.

This acquisition brings together two small specialist carriers in the Pacific islands, which control a combined fleet of six chartered and owned vessels. Between them, the two companies have owned agencies in Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Australia and New Zealand, and an extensive third-party agency network in American Samoa, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island and Nauru.

Pacific Forum Lines was originally founded in 1978 and co-owned by 12 Island nations of the South Pacific. This changed in October 2012, when the Government of Samoa bought out all other stakeholder countries in the carrier and took full control of the shipping line.

Neptune Pacific Line is owned by the US-American Roll Group, which holds diverse assets across various industrial sectors, mainly in the agriculture and beverages sector.

While the two carriers are expected to coordinate services and integrate schedules, the Pacific Forum Line and Neptune Pacific Line brands will remain in the market.