In support of coastal fisheries in the Pacific region, the Overseas Fishery Cooperation Foundation of Japan (OFCF Japan) conducted a refrigeration training programs at the National Fisheries College in Papua New Guinea from November 17 to 28, 2025.
Technicians from eight Pacific Island countries participated in the program, which aimed to enhance practical skills in operating and maintaining ice-making machines. Among the participants was Jeke Dute, a technical officer from the Lautoka Ice Plant.
The training featured intensive hands-on sessions with actual equipment and a structured five-step fault finding process designed to improve problem solving and maintenance efficiency.
This practical exposure has significantly boosted Mr Dute’s confidence and ability to swiftly address machinery breakdowns.
Fiji’s Lautoka Ice Plant previously received three ice machines and a generator from Japan in 2023 and now produces 50–100 tonnes of ice monthly. The ice plant is important to local fisheries: improved availability of ice enables fishers to travel to multiple fishing grounds, enhances catch freshness, raises market prices, and improves livelihoods.
The training also strengthens technical capacity needed for sustainable operation of the facility. OFCF plans to continue supporting coastal fisheries through skills development, technical guidance, and ensuring reliable ice supply.
OFCF Japan plans to continue contributing to the promotion of coastal fisheries by enhancing the capacity of local technicians through technical guidance on ice-making equipment, and by supporting the stable operation of the ice-making facility as well as the reliable supply of ice to fishers.
Fiji participant Jeke Dute and OFCF Fiji representative Taku Kitazawa.
Picture: OFCF
