Fiji’s maritime transport sector is facing serious challenges because of ageing vessels, high investment costs, and safety risks, Land Transport Authority Board chairman Lui Naisara warned.
He said buying a new vessel is vastly more expensive compared to buying a vehicle, costing between $100,000 and $250,000, especially for fuel-efficient and environmentally compliant ships.
“If you want a new vessel, it will cost you millions of dollars,” he said.
“It might cost you $10 million or even $20m, and that is not a cheap investment.
He said those costs have discouraged private investment, resulting in an ageing fleet that poses safety and reliability concerns for island communities.
“At the same time, we must build up human resources, those who are going to look after these vessels in terms of repairs, shipbuilding, maintenance.”
“They also need to be looked after, and this is what we are trying to do.”
He stressed the importance of the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF), which is responsible for monitoring the country’s entire coastline, inland waterways, and outer islands.
“If one ship goes down, you are talking about 130 people who can go down. That’s a massive responsibility.”
Mr Naisara said Government, development partners, and the private sector must work together to create financial mechanisms and incentives that encourage fleet renewal.
He warned that Fiji could not afford to have its maritime transport lag behind while aviation and land transport continue to progress.
“All three sectors need to work together in order to show that Fiji is a vibrant nation.”
