Punching above its weight, Pacific pushes for ship polluters to pay
Punching above our weight has been the statement echoed in London this week to describe the tiny Pacific’s bold push against some of the global heavyweights to have polluters (ship) pay-up for their pollution. This
Kiribati government looking to get flights back in the air
Kiribati’s transport boss says his ministry aims to re-establish air service connections in the Line Islands. The Minister of Information, Communication and Transport, Tekeeua Tarati, said part of the work is to
The Pandemic, War and the Effect on Island Travel
It’s an early Tuesday morning in the seaside town of Levuka. A fish salesman is busy opening his doors to suppliers as they bring in their catch after the night’s fishing. A shop owner scurries around preparing to
Pacific nations double down on their green demands
As is customary in the run up to any gathering of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), predicable fault lines are emerging. Oil producing nations tend to
‘PacTow Expands its Tug Fleet Again!’
Tavurvur (originally ‘Nimble’), shares many similarities to Koranga, another ASD tug PacTow purchased in the first half of 2022 for permanent deployment in Lae. Tavurvur is in class with Lloyd’s Register, 30
Fiji Ports Corporation Limited: The Smart Green Gateway to Trade in the Pacific Region
Fiji Ports Corporation Pte Limited (FPCL) is a Port Management Company of Fiji. FPCL plays a regulatory role in maintaining standards relating to the main ports of entry into Fiji – Ports of Suva and Lautoka, and Port
‘PNG Shipping Co Invests: New Vessel, New Barge, New Containers’
Papua New Guinea’s leading coastal shipping provider, Consort Express Lines (‘Consort’), recently welcomed the arrival of its latest cargo vessel ‘Kimbe Chief’. Consort’s purchase of the nearly
Aging ports infrastructure under scrutiny
The shared challenge of aging ports infrastructure will be one of the key issues discussed at the upcoming Association of Pacific Ports annual conference in Saipan next month. Ports authorities recognise it is time to
Opening the window
Vanuatu is leading the region in the use of an Electronic Single Window System to ensure trade documentation is organised in a more efficient and transparent way. The manager for the Electronic Single Window Project,
PNG PM responds to hefty fines owed to Indonesia
The Office of the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister has been tasked to seek clarificatioover a hefty penalty notice of K105 million (US$5 million) from the Indonesian government. Responding to the fine over six illegal
Marshall Islands pushes back on ship registry criticism
A Marshall Islands ship registry official has pushed back at criticism a U.S organisation lobbed its way as part of the announcement that the United States government is going to launch an “open” ship registry. The
Pacific Ports: Climate and COVID
More than 90% of trade commodities come to Pacific Island countries and territories by sea; with imports dominated by fuel, industrial, commercial machinery and other natural resources. But over the last two years the
COVID-19 Delta variant reported in PNG
A single positive COVID-19 case with the Delta mutation has been detected in Papua New Guinea. Deputy Controller of the PNG COVID-19 National Pandemic Response Dr Daoni Esorom confirmed a 65-year-old Philippine national
RMI, Solomons make a ‘lonely case’ for carbon price on shipping
Pacific island nations made the case for a carbon price to tackle shipping’s climate impact at the UN body responsible for seaborne transport on Wednesday, but found only tepid support. At a environmental committee
Green shipping boost: China Navigation supports Marshall Islands’ carbon tax proposal
(SPLASH)China Navigation is to sign for a revolutionary sail-assisted newbuild this month as part of a package of green measures announced today. The Swire subsidiary has also come out in favour of the proposal put
Filipino seafarers’ fate to be discussed today
Officials from Fiji’s Labour and Immigration departments and Goundar Shipping are reportedly meeting today to discuss the status of three Filipino seamen who claim they have been abandoned by their employer, and are
Sailing into the future: the decarbonisation agenda
Pacific Island nations risk being left behind in the race to decarbonise the shipping industry, despite leading the way on this issue at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Dr Peter Nuttall, who is the
Neptune Pacific Direct Line
When Neptune and PDL joined into what would become Neptune Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) in March 2020, we never imagined the unprecedented challenges our world would face in response to COVID-19. The road to full recovery
Departure Lounge
Boarding pass International Civil Aviation Organisation Secretary General Dr Fang Liuhas says regional cooperation will be critical to air transport recovery post COVID-19. “For your recoveries to be truly successful,
Rescue on the high seas
SAFETY concerns for inter-island travel in Vanuatu resurfaced last month after passengers on an inter-island ship in Vanuatu were rescued on the high seas after it developed engine trouble and sank. The LC Urata, a
Big blow for Pacific coalition at IMO negotiations
DESPITE the passionate plea of a coalition of Pacific leaders, the world’s leading shipping organisation has failed to agree to urgently tackle the industry’s impact on climate change. After a two-week meeting in
Shipping can’t afford to slow steam on climate
WHILE US President Donald Trump has his head in sand on climate change, shipping cannot afford the same luxury and must act to cut back on greenhouse emissions. More importantly for governments and shipping companies in
Moana meets the real McCoy
HAWAIIAN actress Auli’i Cravalho, famed for her voice as Moana in the hit animated Disney movie, which features The Rock, Samoan Dwayne Johnson, was caught in the shadows of a real ocean princess when she turned up to
