137 vessels of interest monitored in Fiji waters
The deployment builds on the Duavata Partnership, signed by Fiji and New Zealand in 2022, which identifies maritime security, border protection and defence cooperation as shared priorities.
Tuesday 20 October 2026 | 14:00
Updated 20 October 2026 | 15:56 FJT
A HMNZS Matataua operator with a Fijian colleague remote-guide a USV back to the shoreline.
Uncrewed Navy vessels deployed by New Zealand have identified 137 vessels of interest during a four-week maritime surveillance operation in Fiji’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
The jointly owned Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and New Zealand Customs Service (NZCS) vessels, Tahi and Rua, were deployed at the request of the Fijian Government to monitor maritime traffic and help authorities identify suspicious activity.
MESC director Lemeki Lenoa said the technology could help address staffing and fuel challenges while strengthening cooperation among the Navy, Customs, Fisheries and Police.
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“The ultimate goal is to ensure we have persistent presence, feeding back here into the MESC,” he said.
He said the vessels’ green-powered systems could help authorities monitor areas of interest and improve their ability to respond to maritime threats.
A USV conducting surveillance in Fiji EEZ.
Navy Commodore Timoci Natuva said the technology would support fisheries and border surveillance, environmental monitoring and the protection of Fiji’s maritime domain.
“Illegal narcotics entering our country is causing so much harm and misery to our people, so any means to combat this is beneficial to the nation,” he said.
The deployment builds on the Duavata Partnership, signed by Fiji and New Zealand in 2022, which identifies maritime security, border protection and defence cooperation as shared priorities.
A USV on its trailer, ready to be transported.
New Zealand Defence Force Maritime Component Commander Commodore Shane Arndell said the operation demonstrated New Zealand’s commitment to the partnership.
He said efforts to disrupt narcotics supplies to Pacific island countries could also help disrupt supplies reaching New Zealand.
The vessels were flown to Nadi aboard a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft before being transported by road to Vuda Marina for launch.
Powered by wave, solar and wind energy, the uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) can remain at sea for weeks without resupply. Their surveillance, positioning and photographic systems send information about their location and observations to a monitoring centre.
The operation aimed to establish patterns of normal maritime activity, helping the Republic of Fiji Military Forces better understand vessel movements and identify activities that may require further investigation.
Fiji’s Maritime Essential Services Centre (MESC) in Suva is assessing the information gathered during the deployment.
The vessels have since returned to New Zealand, ready for their next deployment.
