FIJI, for the first time ever, is on the verge of having a National Spill Contingency Plan.
The plan is expected to set out procedures to be followed in the event of an oil spill in Fiji's waters.
Oil spills have proven to be particularly devastating with our Pacific Island neighbour New Zealand having to deal with a similar case in the Rena incident last year.
During that incident the container ship MV Rena ran aground off Tauranga Harbour and leaked oil into the sea.
Speaking to The Fiji Times, Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji CEO Neale Slack said the plan was being formulated through the assistance of expert stakeholders in the region and those who managed the Rena incident.
"A case in point, we've had Tony Taluli, one of the senior advisers from Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Program come in and assist us," Mr Slack said.
"Also Rob Service from Maritime New Zealand, he was on the (Rena) scene, he was the national commander of the Rena incident in New Zealand. He's come in and he has assisted us through a number of workshops, oil spill level one and two.
"He more recently was assisting us in the preparation of the National Spill Contingency Plan."
Mr Slack said the National Spill Contingency Plan document had been forwarded to the Solicitor General's Office.
He said they expected the document to be ready by this month.
"The Cabinet paper is being prepared and that will go to (Minister for Works) Timoci Natuva.
"This is, again, a major milestone in the history of this nation, a National Spill Contingency Plan being put in place," he said.