Page 29 - IB June 2017

Shipping

In the aftermath of Cylone Pam which hit Vanuatu in 2015, relief to islands ravaged
by winds gusting at up to 320 kilometres per hour, hampered by shiping problems.
Government ships could not meet the demands so when an offer to help came from
the Okeanos Foundation, it was a big welcome. The Okeanos, a vaka motu canoe
concept, built in New Zealand to carry cargo between islands. It took relief supplies
that otherwise had to wait on the availability of ships. For month it took emergency
supplies amd became the lifeline for hard-to-reach coastal communities. carrying up
to five tonnes, this canoe uses only solar, wind and wave power and is ideal for our
islands. It did trial runs transporting cargo in Fiji before being registered in Vanuatu,
where it now does charters.
there, “Knowing that the islands are better Many islands are stuck in a vicious circle: dise operations further.
off and that we’re part of a revolution to ships are often old, inefficient and poorly Development agencies have tradition-
change maritime shipping, that’s a great maintained. When they break they’re re- ally focused on land-based, climate and
feeling.” placed by another vessel nearing the end electricity projects on land, kitting out
It’s the same story for the tiny island of its life. some with solar panels, as in Tokelau
nation of Tokelau. Safety is compromised, lives are sense- and Kiribati’s case, and managing coastal
Every fortnight, the MV Mataliki makes lesly lost and the replacement ship only defences in Fiji and Samoa.
the 500-kilometre voyage from Samoa to leaving the problem it came to solve more Many Pacific governments ignore the
Tokelau, laden with food, drink, medicine costly and complicated, as was the case of vital role ships play in ensuring life - and
and fuel.Relying totally on fuel,the ship the MV Princess Ashika, an inter-island morale - remains high across island
offers a critical lifeline for its people like roll on-roll-off, passenger/cargo vessel communities. “This is a mistake,” said
the Kwai, a floating supermarket bearing that was bought from Fiji in July, 2009, Dr Nuttall, whose team of researchers at
anything from spaghetti and coconut cream by Tongan Government-owned Shipping the University of the South Pacific think
to sugar, milk and beer. Corporation of Polynesia (SCP). the Green Climate Fund could make a
Shipping lanes are the arteries of the tiny Carrying 96 passengers, 32 crew and profound difference. “Small investments
islands spread across the Pacific. Tokelau, 110 tonnes of cargo on its maiden voy- can have a global impact,” said Dr Nuttal.
Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Solomons, Tonga age a month later, to service the outlying “If savings are made by ship operators
and Tuvalu rely on imports for up to 90 per Ha’afeva Island from Nuku’alofa, the by reducing fuel bills, they can use that to
cent of their needs, according to statistics Ashika, taken to Tonga to replace another maintain the vessels and keep the small
of their governments. unseawrothy ferry, Olovaha - sank 86 island economies alive.”
In 2015 the total fuel bill for the region kilometres out at sea. 74 people died in He believes investing in low-carbon
was calculated at around $6billion. It is what’s now become Tonga’s worst maritime alternatives could set a global trend for a
unclear how much of this is consumed disaster. maritime industry that has been slow to
by shipping. But transport (air, maritime Three people charged with sending an respond to the climate challenge Pacific
and land) is responsible for around 70 per unseaworthy ship to sea, were jailed and communities face on a daily basis.
centof all fuel used and the consequent the government paid out more than $1mil- Johnathan Smith, who captained the
greenhouse gas emission generated across lion in compensation. Naia, a 120-feet expedition yacht that has
the region. In Tuvalu, half of this bill is for In a recent incident last month, the auxiliary sails, said refitting ships “makes
shipping, In Fiji, Dr Peter Nuttall, who is Southern Phoenix, a chartered container a big difference”.
leading a research on sustainable sea trans- ship, listed and sank, spilling its entire A vocal advocate for the environment,
portation at the University of the South load of bunker fuel into Suva Harbour having captained the ocean-going vaka
Pacific,estimates it at 23 per cent. Accord- and the 179 containers of cargo destined moana, Uto Ni Yalo, on its historic voy-
ing to the Tokelau Government shipping for Kiribati. ages across the Pacific to the Americas
is “easily” the largest consumer of fuel, Such costly incidents are avoidable if using only wind, solar and the power of
burning much more than land vehicles, ship operators have the ability to use pos- waves and the stars to navigate at night
and this comes at a cost. sible savings in fuel from these runs on while spreading the gospel of conservation
Fuel imports are a crippling strain on maintenance and crew training. and sustainable living between 2010 and
weak economies, vulnerable to the whims Treacherous weather conditions, narrow 2012, Captain Smith said island govern-
of the global oil market, bleeding money reef passages and small harbours add to ments must consider options to reduce
from indebted governments with few the risks facing seafarers in the Pacific, their fuel bills and keep the oceans clean.
sources of income. sometimes forcing governments to subsi- He said island nations must do more
than just call for a show of commitment.
“We must act or the Pacific, which relies
on shipping more than some developed
countries do, will be left behind the rest
of the world which is working towards
reducing their carbon footprint.”
So far the GCF board - which met in
Songdo, South Korea in April, has steered
clear of shipping. The organisation is miss-
ing a massive opportunity, said Dr Nuttall.
The MV Princess Ashika. seen here in rough seas, Full load ... the SV Kwai leaves Honolulu for n Continued overleaf
was not seaworthy on its maiden voyage in Tonga. Christmas Island in March this year.

Islands Business May 2017 29