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The retrieval of the Southern Phoenix from Suva Harbour is just one of nearly 100 salvage, wreck retrieval, and spill response projects undertaken by PacTow since 2000.

Melanesian Wreck Retrieval Solution for Fiji

Papua New Guinean marine services business, Pacific Towing (PacTow),

is readying itself for more projects in Fiji and broader Melanesia. Already well
known for its salvage of sunken cargo vessel, Southern Phoenix, from Fiji’s Suva
Harbour in 2019, PacTow is investigating other wreck retrieval projects in the
area.
Although PacTow’s core business is marine towage, the company has
performed nearly 100 salvages, wreck retrievals, and spill response projects

over the last 25 years. Maritime veteran and Manager of Pacific Towing, Gerard
Kasnari, reports that in July this year alone, the company engaged in the salvage

of three international fishing vessels and a cargo ship.
Kasnari reports that there are approximately 30 wrecks in Suva Harbour and
many more scattered around Fiji’s coastline. Solomon Islands, where PacTow
has operated on a permanent basis for more than a decade, has a much larger
proliferation of wrecks (including airplanes), primarily arising from the second
world war. Many of these wrecks have been described as ‘ticking ecological time
bombs’ due to the estimated tens of thousands of tonnes of oil contained in
their bunkers.
“As wrecks age and their bunker tanks corrode, fuel escapes and pollutes the
environment,” explains Kasnari. Marine pollution is a severe problem for any
country, but especially so for island nations such as Fiji and Solomon Islands, Frances Tuimabualau is assisting marine services market leader, Pacific Towing, pursue

given the economic significance of their fishing and tourism industries. “The wreck retrieval projects in Fiji.
extent to which coastal communities also rely on healthy marine environments
to literally ‘put food on the table’, as well as the ways which we as Melanesian
people are connected spiritually and culturally with the ocean must also be and technicians. “The company’s training investment is considerable. Staff
taken into account when considering the impact of marine pollution arising are trained all over the world and it has two cadetship programmes. PacTow’s

from the wrecks that surround us,” adds Kasnari. ability and desire to build salvage and wreck retrieval capacity in Fiji is definitely
Frances Tuimabualau, PacTow’s recently appointed agent in Fiji, believes extremely attractive when you consider the number of wrecks out there, our

that the PNG company is the ideal candidate for Fiji to partner with to provide Nation’s reliance on shipping, as well as the significance of our fishing and
a Melanesian solution to the wrecks littering Fiji’s coastlines and polluting tourism industries.”
its waters. “Not only does PacTow have considerable salvage experience and PacTow delivers excellent, reliable, and safe marine services through
expertise, its own 20-vessel fleet, and 200+ Melanesian workforce (including a Melanesia and the broader region. A well-maintained fleet, as well as a dedicated

commercial dive team), it is also Melanesia’s only full member of the International and exceptionally trained team underpin the company’s ongoing expansion and
Salvage Union (ISU) and the International Spill Control Organization (ISCO).” success. PacTow is part of a larger sea and land logistics group wholly owned by
Tuimabualau also points to PacTow’s history of training its seafarers, divers, Steamships Limited.
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