Kiribati News

The Republic of the Marshall Islands took delivery of the sailing cargo vessel Juren Ae in October 2024, and it marked a new era in wind-propelled transport in Oceania.The vessel’s name refers to the “steering paddle” on a Marshallese canoe, and its construction was the result of the efforts of the Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership, co-chaired by Fiji and the Marshall Islands. The partnership includes other nations such as Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, the Federated States of Micronesia, and Palau.

David Dack is Arup’s new Global Business Leader for Maritime, the firm announced.The appointment reinforces Arup’s commitment to delivering sustainable, resilient infrastructure and operational solutions for ports, maritime transport providers, and coastal communities. In his new role, David will continue to grow the business, while enhancing Arup’s positive impact for clients and their projects.David joined Arup in 2006 and brings over two decades of experience in the planning, design and operation of maritime infrastructure.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at boosting the deep-sea mining industry, marking his latest attempt to boost U.S. access to nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy.The order, which Trump signed in private, seeks to jumpstart the mining of both U.S. and international waters as part of a push to offset China's sweeping control of the critical minerals industry.Parts of the Pacific Ocean and elsewhere are estimated to contain…

The White House is weighing an executive order that would fast-track permitting for deep-sea mining in international waters and let mining companies bypass a United Nations-backed review process, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the deliberations.If signed, the order would mark U.S. President Donald Trump's latest attempt to tap international deposits of nickel, copper and other critical minerals used widely across the economy after recent efforts in Greenland and Ukraine.

Salvors have recovered Fiji's naval patrol boat RFNS Puamau, three weeks after the brand new vessel went aground on its maiden patrol.The vessel was successfully recovered from the reef at Fulaga and towed to the safe waters of Ogea Island where a thorough damage assessment will be conducted, the Republic of Fiji Navy said.RFNS Puamau is a Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) built by Austal for the Australian Department of Defence, which gifted the vessel to Fiji's Navy.Just months after the vessel's official handover in March…

Responders are working to salvage Fiji's brand new naval patrol boat, which ran aground during its maiden voyage last week.The vessel, RFNS Puamau, is a Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) built by Austal for the Australian Department of Defence, which gifted the vessel to the Republic of Fiji Navy.Just months after the vessel's official handover in March, it hit a reef on Fiji's remote Lau group of islands on June 10, during its first patrol.Now salvors are working to recover the stricken vessel while minimizing environmental impacts, including a potential oil spill.

The U.S. Coast Guard has rejected comments by a Chinese diplomat that its recent boardings of Chinese fishing boats in the Pacific Islands alongside local police are illegal, saying the joint patrols are at the behest of Pacific nations to protect coastal fisheries.Reuters reported last month that six Chinese fishing boats were found to be violating Vanuatu's fisheries law after being inspected by local police who were on board the first U.S. Coast Guard boat to patrol the waters of the Pacific Islands nation.China's Ambassador to New Zealand Wang Xiaolong…

The U.S. Coast Guard and Kiribati police boarded two Chinese fishing boats during a patrol against illegal fishing in the Pacific Islands nation's vast exclusive economic zone this month but found no issues aboard, a coast guard official said.The United States is seeking a bigger role for its coast guard in helping remote Pacific Islands nations monitor millions of kilometres of ocean - a rich tuna fishing ground - a move that also boosts surveillance as a rivalry with China over security ties in the region intensifies.Reuters reported on Friday that Chinese police are working in Kiribati…

Norway’s Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre and US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry are co-leading an international initiative to accelerate reduction of emissions from the shipping sector, and on December 1, during COP28, they chaired a new round of announcements under that initiative, the Green Shipping Challenge.Various countries and organizations proposed measures to reduce emissions from shipping. This year’s announcements include:• Amazon: Amazon and other…

Shipbuilding group Austal announced its Austal Australia division has delivered the 18th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, Nafanua III, was accepted by representatives from the Department of Defense and then gifted by the Australian Government, to the Samoa Police Service at a handover ceremony held at HMAS Stirling in Western Australia on Wednesday.Austal Limited Chief Executive Officer Paddy Gregg said Nafanua III is the third Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivered by Austal in 2023…

Australian shipbuilding group Austal announced its Austal Australia arm has delivered the 17th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, HMPNGS Gilbert Toropo, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Papua New Guinea Defence Force at a handover ceremony held at the HMAS Stirling naval base in Western Australia.The new Guardian-class Patrol Boat is the fourth of four vessels to be gifted to Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project…

The United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Judicial Sales of Ships (also known as the Beijing Convention) was signed by 15 nations and regions at a signing ceremony in Beijing on September 5, 2023.Signatories were: China, Burkino Faso, Comoros, El Salvador, Grenada, Honduras, Kiribati, Liberia, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Switzerland and Syria. It will come into force when it is ratified by three state parties. The Convention…

Australian shipbuilding group Austal Limited announced that the Australian Government has ordered an additional Guardian-class Patrol Boat from Austal Australia for A$15.2 million.The 39.5-meter steel hull patrol boat, to be constructed in Western Australia and delivered in September 2024, is in addition to the 21 Guardian-class Patrol Boats ordered by the Australian Government under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1) in 2016.Fifteen of the 21 vessels have been delivered to 11 Pacific Island nations under the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program…

Shipbuilding group Austal announced its Austal Australia arm has delivered the 15th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, Te Kukupa II, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Cook Islands at a certificate signing ceremony at Austal’s shipyard in Henderson, Western Australia.The new Guardian-class Patrol Boat replaces the original Te Kukupa, a Pacific-class Patrol Boat gifted to the Cook Islands in 1989 and recently decommissioned…

The Australian Department of Defense has handed over a newly built patrol boat to the Republic of Vanuatu. The vessel, the RVS Takuare, was gifted by the Australian Government to the South Pacific Ocean nation at a certificate signing ceremony held at the Australian Marine Complex, in Henderson, Western Australia.The vessel is the 12th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) built by Austal Australia and the first to be delivered to Vanuatu under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1)…

Australian shipbuilding group Austal announced on Friday it has delivered the 11th Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, the RKS Teanoai II, was then gifted by the Australian government to the government of the Republic of Kiribati during a ceremony at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard.The vessel is the first Guardian-class Patrol Boat to be delivered to Kiribati under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project (SEA3036-1)…

Shipbuilding group Austal announced it has has delivered the ninth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, the future HMPNGS Rochus Lokinap, was then gifted by the Australian Government to the Papua New Guinea Defense Force at a ceremony held at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard.The vessel is the second of four Guardian-class Patrol Boats to be delivered to Papua New Guinea under the Pacific Patrol Boat Replacement Project, part of the Australian Government’s Pacific Maritime Security Program…

Shipbuilder Austal Limited announced that its Austal Australia division has delivered the eighth Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense.The vessel, VOEA Ngahau Siliva, was gifted by the Australian Government to the Kingdom of Tonga during a handover ceremony at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard on Friday.Austal Chief Operating Officer and CEO Designate Patrick Gregg noted VOEA Ngahau Siliva was the second Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivered…

Shipbuilder Austal Australia has delivered the seventh Guardian-class Patrol Boat (GCPB) to the Australian Department of Defense. The vessel, PSS President H.I. Remeliik II, was gifted by the Government of Australia to the Government of Palau during a handover ceremony at Austal Australia’s Henderson shipyard.Austal Chief Executive David Singleton said this Guardian-class Patrol Boat delivery was unique as it is the first to take place under COVID-19 restrictions.The 39.5-meter steel monohull patrol boat—designed…

What do successful, well-run ports and female empowerment have in common? Both can make a significant contribution to sustainable economic development.International Maritime Organization (IMO)  provided support to eight female officials from developing countries, with an emphasis on Pacific Small Island Developing States, attended a Port Senior Management Program held at the Galilee International Management Institute (GIMI) in Nahalal, Israel, (6-19 November).The two-week course provides participants with key information and updates on innovations in the port industry. The participants are from: Cabo Verde, Fiji, Kiribati, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea…

The initial phase of the Glofouling Partnerships project is now well and truly underway with a series of technical workshops in the Pacific, stated  International Maritime Organization (IMO).The UN body said that the key message delivered to participants was that once introduced, marine invasive species can be hard to eradicate - and invasive species represent a potential major threat to the Pacific Ocean's biodiversity and the ecological integrity of Small Island Developing States.The GEF-UNDP-IMO GloFouling Partnerships project aims to protect marine biodiversity by addressing bio-invasions by organisms which can build up on ship's hulls and other marine structures.Meanwhile…

Discussions on oil pollution prevention, preparedness and response took centre stage this week (20-24 May) at the latest edition of Spillcon 2019 in Perth, Australia.The forum included sessions on cause and prevention, response management and environmental issues.A raft of high calibre national and international speakers addressed the conference on their particular areas of expertise. However, this year, the audience also invited 12 to 15 years olds to join the event to learn more about issues related to environmental protection, oil and chemical pollution, preparedness and response. The curious students took part in a range of activities…

To help increase ratification of the FAL Convention and improve understanding of its requirements, two National Seminars on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic have been delivered by International Maritime Organization (IMO), in cooperation with the Pacific Community (SPC), in Tarawa, Kiribati (14-16 November) and in Honiara, the Solomon Islands (20-22 November)."When the communication between ships and port is smoothly run, shipments move more quickly, more easily and more efficiently. This is where IMO’s Facilitation (FAL) Convention comes in," said a press note from IMO.Twenty-one participants from public authorities, agencies and private stakeholders attended the seminar in Kiribati…