Fiji is working closely with the Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) Network in the Pacific on the installation of the Propeller Boss Cap Fins.
The Propeller Boss Cap Fins are energy-saving devices attached to the propeller of a vessel that makes propulsion more efficient and less fuel-consuming.
And Ministry of Transport permanent secretary Shaheen Ali said they intended to install those on government vessels.
In an effort to address the impacts of climate change on small island developing states (SIDS), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) had adopted an initial strategy for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, with a vision that aimed to phase it out as soon as possible in this century.
Mr Ali said the strategy envisaged a reduction in carbon intensity in international shipping and set a pathway of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction, consistent with the Paris Agreement.
He said those were big goals that at the end of the day required technology as an enabler.
“An enabler that protects our pristine and fragile ecosystems,” Mr Ali said in his address at the World Maritime Day 2022 event in Suva yesterday.
He said ships, in the past, were not built to work on clean or green fuel.
“But now we need clean vessels and technology. This presents an opportunity.
“A lot of corporations and governments are now looking to retrofit solutions, including Fiji.
“By retrofitting vessels, we have the flexibility to tailor existing vessels to meet the latest global standards.”
Mr Ali said a large part of retrofitting required innovative modifications that allowed for energy efficiency at a fraction of the cost because the fleet would not have to be changed.
“We do not have all the resources or expertise, nor deep pockets for large-scale investments to change our entire domestic fleet. That’s where partnership is key.”
He said an illustration of that partnership was the collaboration between Fiji and the MTCC to install the Propeller Boss Cap Fins.
“With these initiatives in green shipping, we ask the question, what does this mean for seafarers, for captains, for engineers?
“It means that relying on fossil fuel is no longer the future of shipping. The future is newer technology, cleaner fuel, and at some point in time, no fossil fuel at all.
“It means developing capabilities in new technology and continuously upskilling to make the shift.
“We need local talent to be involved. When we build our human capabilities, we allow sustainability of these initiatives.”
