Taio Shipping
The Cook Islands' main inter-island shipping company, providing scheduled freight and passenger services between Rarotonga and the outer islands.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Taio Shipping is a Cook Islands inter-island maritime transport company headquartered in Rarotonga. Its role is closely tied to the geography of the Cook Islands, where dispersed islands and atolls depend on sea transport for essential goods, fuel, and passenger movement. The company operates freight and passenger services from Rarotonga to a number of outer islands, with service frequency varying substantially by route. More frequently served islands include Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke, and Mangaia, while voyages to the northern and more remote destinations—including Penrhyn, Rakahanga, Manihiki, Palmerston, and Pukapuka—may occur only every several weeks or months. The company was established in 1991 when Teremoana Tapi Taio acquired the damaged vessel Acadia in Rarotonga and secured a shipping licence. From that beginning, Taio Shipping developed into the principal domestic shipping operator serving the Cook Islands' inter-island network. Its services have had significance beyond ordinary commercial transport: interruptions have affected the availability of imported food, petrol, and other supplies on remote islands. Taio Shipping's operating history has also included a series of maritime incidents and regulatory challenges. In 2005, the Manu Nui ran out of fuel while travelling from Pukapuka toward Rarotonga and drifted. In 2006, the diversion of the MV Maungaroa for a television-production charter contributed to a fuel and electricity crisis on Mangaia. Other vessels were involved in groundings or strandings, including the MV Maungaroa at Avatiu in 2008, the MV Te Kou Maru II at Mauke in 2010, the MV Moana Nui at Nassau in 2017, and the Grinna II at Manihiki in 2022. The most consequential regulatory episode occurred in 2019, after a child went overboard from the MV Lady Moana during a voyage from Rakahanga to Rarotonga. The Cook Islands Ministry of Transport detained all of the company's ships, and a subsequent Maritime New Zealand safety assessment identified significant shortcomings. Passenger permissions were restricted: the Grinna II was approved to carry only 12 passengers, while passenger licences for the MV Maungaroa II and MV Lady Moana were withdrawn. The resulting interruption left northern islands short of imported food and petrol. Taio Shipping later removed the Maungaroa II from service pending sale and acquired the larger Maungaroa III as a replacement. Taio Shipping is therefore best understood as an essential-island logistics and passenger-service operator rather than a conventional international liner or trucking brand. Its business is shaped by infrequent schedules, difficult reef and weather conditions, vessel availability, maritime regulation, and the high importance of reliable supply links for geographically isolated communities.
History
Taio Shipping began operations in 1991 after Teremoana Tapi Taio purchased the damaged Acadia in Rarotonga and obtained a shipping licence. The company grew within the distinctive transport environment of the Cook Islands, an island state whose communities are spread across widely separated islands and atolls. Rarotonga serves as the main operating base, while outer-island routes provide freight and passenger links to destinations that cannot be served by road or regular air transport at comparable scale. The company's schedules have historically varied by destination. Atiu, Mitiaro, Mauke, and Mangaia have received voyages approximately once or twice a month. More remote northern islands such as Penrhyn, Rakahanga, and Manihiki have been served approximately every two months, while Palmerston and Pukapuka have had services approximately every two and a half months. These infrequent routes make vessel reliability particularly important because a missed or delayed voyage can affect access to food, fuel, and other imported necessities. Taio Shipping experienced several operational incidents during the 2000s. In September 2005, the Manu Nui ran out of fuel and drifted while travelling from Pukapuka to Rarotonga. In June 2006, the MV Maungaroa was diverted from its normal schedule for a charter associated with the producers of Survivor: Cook Islands. The diversion contributed to a fuel and electricity crisis on Mangaia. In January 2008, the MV Maungaroa ran aground at Avatiu during a storm. In October 2010, the MV Te Kou Maru II became stranded on the reef at Mauke, where the wreck remained for several years. In January 2017, the recently purchased MV Moana Nui was wrecked on a reef at Nassau. The investigation attributed the accident to the lack of a detailed chart, inadequate radio communication, and insufficient familiarity with the reef. The wreck remained at the site for at least a year. A contract for salvage and removal was issued in November 2019. The company's most serious documented regulatory crisis followed an incident in September 2019, when a child was lost overboard from the MV Lady Moana while travelling from Rakahanga to Rarotonga. The Cook Islands Ministry of Transport detained all Taio Shipping vessels. Maritime New Zealand then conducted a safety assessment that found significant failings on the company's ships. The resulting restrictions included limiting the Grinna II to 12 passengers and withdrawing the passenger licences of the MV Maungaroa II and MV Lady Moana. The fleet detention interrupted supplies to the northern islands, which reportedly ran short of imported food and petrol. The fleet was subsequently adjusted. In 2020, the MV Maungaroa II was removed from service pending sale, and Taio Shipping purchased the larger MV Maungaroa III to replace it. The company continued to face maritime hazards: on 21 March 2022, the Grinna II ran aground on the reef at Manihiki and was judged unsalvageable. Taken together, Taio Shipping's history reflects both its importance and its operating difficulty. It is a central logistics provider for a remote island network, but its vessels must navigate reefs, storms, long routes, limited infrastructure, and demanding regulatory requirements. Publicly available reference material does not provide a complete current fleet list, ownership structure, financial profile, or detailed information about present management.
- 2022
Grinna II grounds at Manihiki
[1]The Grinna II ran aground on the Manihiki reef and was deemed unsalvageable.
- 2020
Maungaroa III acquired as replacement vessel
[1]The MV Maungaroa II was taken out of service pending sale and the larger MV Maungaroa III was acquired as a replacement.
- 2019
Fleet detained after Lady Moana incident
[1]All company ships were detained after a child was lost overboard from the MV Lady Moana, followed by a critical maritime safety assessment.
- 2017
Moana Nui wrecked at Nassau
[1]The MV Moana Nui was wrecked on a Nassau reef; the investigation cited charting, communication, and local-navigation shortcomings.
- 2010
Te Kou Maru II stranded at Mauke
[1]The MV Te Kou Maru II was stranded on the Mauke reef and its wreck remained for several years.
- 2008
Maungaroa grounds at Avatiu
[1]The MV Maungaroa ran aground at Avatiu during a storm.
- 2006
Maungaroa diverted for television charter
[1]The MV Maungaroa was diverted for a Survivor: Cook Islands production charter, contributing to a Mangaia fuel and electricity crisis.
- 2005
Manu Nui runs out of fuel
[1]The Manu Nui drifted while travelling from Pukapuka to Rarotonga after failing to refuel.
- 1991
Company established
[1]Teremoana Tapi Taio purchased the damaged Acadia in Rarotonga and obtained a shipping licence, establishing Taio Shipping.
Products and positioning
A vital domestic maritime link for freight, passengers, and essential supplies between Rarotonga and the Cook Islands' remote outer islands.
Freight shipping · 1991
Scheduled inter-island freight services
Taio Shipping transports imported goods, fuel, and other supplies between Rarotonga and the Cook Islands outer islands. The service is organized around scheduled voyages whose frequency depends on the destination, with remote northern and southern islands receiving less frequent calls than closer destinations.
Passenger shipping · 1991
Inter-island passenger services
The company has operated passenger services alongside freight voyages between Rarotonga and outer-island communities. Passenger capacity and licensing have varied by vessel, particularly after the 2019 safety review and resulting restrictions.
Marine charter
Chartered vessel services
Taio Shipping vessels have also been used for charter work. A documented example is the 2006 diversion of the MV Maungaroa for a charter connected with production of Survivor: Cook Islands.
Marketing campaigns
- 2006Survivor: Cook Islands production charter
Cook Islands
The MV Maungaroa was diverted from its regular shipping schedule to support a charter for producers of the television program Survivor: Cook Islands.
Outcome. The diversion contributed to a fuel and electricity crisis on Mangaia.
Brand decisions
2020
Replace Maungaroa II with larger Maungaroa IIIGeneration changeBackground
After the 2019 fleet detention and safety assessment, the passenger licence for the MV Maungaroa II was withdrawn and the vessel was taken out of service pending sale.
Action taken
Taio Shipping purchased the larger MV Maungaroa III as a replacement vessel.
Aftermath
The acquisition was intended to maintain or restore inter-island shipping capacity, although the available reference material does not provide subsequent operational or financial results.
2019
Fleet response to maritime safety restrictionsStrategyBackground
Following the loss-overboard incident involving the MV Lady Moana, the Ministry of Transport detained the entire fleet and a Maritime New Zealand assessment identified significant safety failings.
Action taken
The company operated under vessel-specific restrictions, including a 12-passenger limit for the Grinna II and withdrawal of passenger licences for the MV Maungaroa II and MV Lady Moana.
Aftermath
The detention disrupted supplies to northern islands, which experienced shortages of imported food and petrol.
Sources1 sources
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