PACIFIC Island countries are stepping up efforts to strengthen port state control as maritime officials met in Auckland, New Zealand, for a regional workshop focused on improving inspection standards and enforcement.
Officials from across the Pacific discussed common challenges faced by small island states, including translating international maritime rules into national laws, strengthening institutional frameworks and improving regional coordination.
The meeting also addressed the need for better follow-up on issues identified during International Maritime Organization audits, as well as building inspection capacity across ports in the region.
A key feature of the workshop was practical shipboard training at the Port of Auckland, coordinated by Maritime New Zealand.
The hands-on sessions allowed participants to apply inspection techniques and improve their understanding of Port State Control procedures.
The workshop brought together policy and technical officials, inspectors and maritime specialists and representatives.
Participants shared experiences and identified practical strategies to strengthen compliance and enforcement, particularly in countries with limited resources.
Countries represented at the workshop included the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Port state control plays a critical role in ensuring ships comply with international safety, security and environmental standards, helping protect marine ecosystems and support safe maritime transport across the Pacific.