Steamships has committed PGK100,000 as a Gold sponsor of the 2026 Hiri Moale Festival, reinforcing the company’s support for the Motu Koita communities and the preservation of Papua New Guinea’s cultural heritage.
The sponsorship reflects Steamships’ long-standing relationship with the Motu Koita people, whose communities are closely connected to the company’s operations, employees, customers and investments across the National Capital District.
Steamships managing director Chris Daniells said the company’s history was closely linked to the Motu Koita people through the sea and the historic Hiri trading voyages.
“The story of the Motu Koita people and the story of Steamships are connected by the sea,” Daniells said.
He said the Hiri voyages established traditions of trade, trust and cooperation that continued to reflect values shaping Steamships during its 108-year history.
The sponsorship also recognises the historical relationship between Steamships and the Motu Koita people, including the early partnership between company founder Captain Algernon Fitch and Captain Pipi Gari of Elevala.
Gari became the first qualified Papuan ship captain in 1929. Steamships said generations of Motu Koita men and women had also contributed to the company over the years.
The sponsorship forms part of Steamships’ corporate social responsibility strategy, which focuses on strengthening relationships and creating long-term value in the communities where the company operates.
Chairman of the Motu Koita Assembly Russell Simon Wavik welcomed the contribution, saying it recognised the enduring partnership between the company and the community.
“We appreciate Steamships' Gold Sponsorship of the 2026 Hiri Moale Festival and acknowledge the enduring relationship between Steamships and the Motu Koita people,” Wavik said.
The Hiri Moale Festival is one of PNG’s major cultural events and celebrates the history of the Hiri trading voyages, which connected Motu and Gulf communities through traditional maritime trade.
Steamships said it looked forward to supporting the 2026 festival and joining the Motu Koita community in celebrating the cultural tradition.
