Ship owners seeking scuttling services or disposal of their old, unused, or abandoned vessels can now request assistance from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF). Scuttling refers to the safe and proper disposal of derelict vessels.
With increasing concerns over derelict boats cluttering Fiji’s waters, MSAF’s Chief Executive Officer Joweli Cawaki expresses hope that these scuttling services will address the issue. “This facility is available to vessel owners who wish to dispose of their unsafe vessels,” Mr. Cawaki stated.
He encouraged ship owners to submit a request letter for scuttling and to cover the associated costs to MSAF. Recently, MSAF’s pollution team conducted a scuttling operation for a local ship, the MV Uluinabukelevu, which was sunk 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Suva. Prior to sinking the vessel, inspections and clean-up operations were performed.
“Oil and other debris were removed before it was sunk,” Mr. Cawaki explained. Ship owners must first submit a scuttling request, pay the fees, and MSAF will provide a checklist for oil and debris removal.
Once the cleaning is complete, ship owners need to report this back to MSAF. “A pollution officer from MSAF will 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 Aids to Navigation (AtoN) officer will then issue an approval letter for the scuttling, including specific coordinates and depth. The ship owner must provide a copy of this approval to Fiji Ports,” he added.
Mr. Cawaki noted that using a tugboat or another vessel for towing during scuttling is optional for ship owners. A pollution officer from MSAF will accompany the vessel to ensure it is scuttled at the designated coordinates, and after the process, the officer will provide a final report confirming the scuttling was completed.