Tonga's inter-island ferry, the MV Otuanga'ofa, is undergoing dry dock maintenance in Fiji after cracks were found inside a ballast tank.
Matangi Tonga reports the CEO of the Friendly Islands Shipping Agency, Vaka'utapola Vi, saying that the cracks were due to localised stress.
He said the bow and the stern were the most highly-stressed areas of the vessel; with the bow stress caused by ramming, pounding and racking; while the stern stress was caused by pounding, propellor pressure and vibrations.
The company's second ferry is providing inter-island services until the Otuanga'ofa returns from Fiji in a fortnight.
