The Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) chief executive officer, John Tunidau, attended the 69th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) Meeting at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) headquarters in London.

The MEPC Meeting was attended by 109 member State delegations, 8 Intergovernmental Organisations, 54 non-Governmental Organisations and representatives from the United Nations.

The five-day session enabled participants to engage in high level discussions and decisions made on matters pertaining to the protection of the world’s Marine Environment.

“The MEPC meeting enabled MSAF and representatives of Fiji’s High Commission in the United Kingdom, on behalf of the Government of Fiji, to actively participate in discussions and decision making at the international level to ensure the protection of the Marine Environment,” Mr Tunidau said.

MSAF is now reviewing the report of the 69th MEPC meeting to determine whether there is a need to amend Fiji’s current legislation on the protection of the Marine Environment.

The marine issues discussed include:

1. Pollution prevention and response.
2. Air pollution and energy efficiency.

iii. Reduction of GHG emissions from ships.

1. Inadequacy of port waste facilities.
2. Harmful aquatic organisms in ballast water.
3. Technical cooperation activities for the protection of the Marine Environment.

vii. Identification and protection of special areas and particularly sensitive sea areas (PSSAs).

viii. Promotion and implementation of MARPOL and related instruments.

“We also gained important knowledge of important amendments and changes discussed at this international forum and can use this knowledge to ensure that Fiji continues to update its national legislation to comply with international standards.”

Mr Tunidau also met with the IMO Director Technical Cooperation Division, IMO Director IMSAS, Head of Training and Human Element to discuss and finalize the request for IMO technical assistance provided to Fiji in 2016; fully funded by IMO which include:

2016. A National Workshop on the Facilitation Convention 1965 held in Fiji in July, 2016.
2017. A National Workshop on Training for Trainers and Assessors required under the Standard Training, Certification and Watch Keeping (STCW) convention 1978 (as amended) held in Fiji on October, 2016.

iii. Needs assessment for Fiji on the STCW Convention 1978 (as amended).

2017. A National workshop on PSSAand London Protocol scheduled for 2017.
2018. MSAF’s participation in one of the IMO Member State audits as an observer.
2019. National Ballast Water Strategy Workshop in November 2016.

Mr Tunidau also met with Fiji’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Jitoko Tikolevu, the Director General of the International Mobile Satellite Organisations, and delegations from Maritime New Zealand and the Bahamas Maritime Administrations to discuss technical assistance programs for Fiji.