Ship owners in need of scuttling services or disposal of their old, unused, or derelict vessels can now seek assistance from the Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF). Scuttling refers to the safe and proper disposal of abandoned or derelict vessels.
With an increase in derelict sailing vessels cluttering Fiji’s waters, MSAF’s chief executive officer, Joweli Cawaki, expressed hope that the scuttling services would address this 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 pay the required fees to MSAF.
Recently, MSAF pollution officers successfully facilitated the scuttling of a local ship, the MV Uluinabukelevu, which was sunk 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of Suva. Mr. Cawaki noted that the vessel underwent inspection and cleaning before its sinking, including the removal of oil and other debris.
Following the submission of a request letter for scuttling, ship owners must pay the associated fees. MSAF will then provide a checklist for the removal of oil and debris to the ship owner. It is essential for ship owners to report back to MSAF upon completion of the cleaning of their vessels.
“MSAF pollution officers will carry out a final inspection to ensure the ship is ready for scuttling and will produce an inspection report for the MSCR. The MSCR and AtoN officer will issue an approval letter for scuttling, including coordinates and depth. The ship owner must then submit a copy of this approval letter to Fiji Ports,” added Mr. Cawaki.
He mentioned that it is optional for ship owners to use a tugboat or another vessel for towing during the scuttling process. An MSAF pollution officer will accompany the vessel to ensure it is scuttled at the specified coordinates. After the scuttling is complete, the pollution officer will provide a final report verifying the vessel has been properly scuttled.