Ship owners in Fiji seeking assistance with scuttling services or the disposal of old, unused, or derelict vessels can now request help from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF). Scuttling is defined as the safe and proper disposal of abandoned or derelict ships.
Joweli Cawaki, the chief executive officer of MSAF, expressed hope that these scuttling services would help address the increasing number of derelict vessels cluttering Fiji’s waters. “This facility is available to vessel owners who wish to dispose of old vessels that are no longer safe for operation,” Mr. Cawaki explained.
He urged ship owners to submit a request letter for scuttling services and to pay the associated fees to MSAF. Recently, MSAF’s pollution officers undertook a scuttling operation for a local ship, the MV Uluinabukelevu, which was sunk 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Suva.
Mr. Cawaki mentioned that the MV Uluinabukelevu was inspected and cleaned prior to its sinking. “They removed oil and other debris before it was submerged,” he noted. Ship owners are required to submit a request letter for scuttling to MSAF and must pay the scuttling fees. After this, MSAF will provide a checklist for the removal of oil and debris that the ship owner needs to complete.
He also stated that ship owners must inform MSAF once the cleaning process on their vessels is complete. MSAF pollution officers will then conduct a final inspection to ensure the vessel is ready for scuttling and will submit an inspection report to the Marine Safety Compliance Regulation (MSCR). The MSCR and the Aids to Navigation (AtoN) officer will then issue an approval letter for scuttling, including specific coordinates and depth, which the ship owner must provide to Fiji Ports.
Mr. Cawaki mentioned that it is optional for ship owners to hire a tugboat or another vessel for towing the ship designated for scuttling. “A MSAF pollution officer will accompany the ship during scuttling to ensure it is sunk at the correct coordinates. Following the scuttling, the pollution officer must deliver a final report confirming the vessel has been successfully scuttled.”