THE Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) has yet to set standards on maritime safety in Fiji.
MSAF chief executive officer Joeli Cawaki revealed this, saying they were doing their best to achieve this and that having MSAF offices at all local jetties around the country would help achieve this.
“Over the years, we haven’t pegged a standard to Fiji’s maritime safety. We are trying hard to get there – to set a standard for Fiji.
“Next month, MSAF will start auditing all shipping companies and their vessels – we’ll start with roll-on, roll-off vessels.
“We’ve sent notices to all companies and are mindful of their business but it has to be done. All vessels – public, private, anything that is floating and transporting people – right up to small wooden boats – will be audited.”
He also announced plans to set up offices at all local jetties around the country to help them live up to their mandate.
“We are not in all the places we’re supposed to be.
“Where there are vessels, we should be there, but we are not. We don’t have an office in Kadavu and the outer islands of Lau. In Lomaiviti, we have an office in Levuka and one in Vanua Levu.
“Our plan is to build offices and have our people at all the local jetties – where the land and sea meet, and where boats and people meet.”
Mr Cawaki said MSAF was mandated to look after the maritime safety and environmental protection of Fiji.
“We want to be there. We want to see that safety is upheld, and that our people are receiving their money’s worth especially when shipping companies like Interlink and Goundar Shipping promote ‘travel with luxury, travel with comfort’.
“We need to see that our people are receiving the worth of their dollar in paying for maritime transportation.”
Maritime safety, he said, was about a vessel leaving in one piece from one port and arriving in one piece at another port.
“We are looking at registration of vessels and surveys. One thing is the vessel, and the other thing is the crew. All machines in the vessel have to be in good and safe working order at all times.
“MSAF needs to be stringent in its surveys to ensure the vessel is safe otherwise, we lose the confidence of cargo owners and our people.”
