F

iji can fulfill its target of reducing domestic shipping emissions by 40 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.

University of the South Pacific Scientific Technical Advisor at the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport Peter Nuttall confirmed this in Suva this week.

Last year, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in unison with Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) leaders, announced domestic shipping emissions reduction targets of 40 per cent by 2030 and 100 per cent by 2050.

“To get to 40 per cent by 2030 is achievable; the technology exists to do this. The total emission from Fiji’s maritime sector is currently estimated at 179 kilotons of carbondioxide,” Mr Nuttall said. “Transition from two-stroke to four-stroke and electric outboards alone, especially if you add in sailassist small vessels for fishing and local transport, provides the first 10 per cent,” he said.

“Retrofitting the existing large fleet with Feltner rotors, wind hybrids, better propellers and propeller caps, solar, wind and shaft auxiliary alternators and better operational measures; better maintenance, hull cleaning etc. gives another 10 to 30 per cent savings.

“But the real savings come from new, energy efficient ship designs. As we replace the current fleet, we need to insist that all new ships are increasingly inefficient than the ones they are replacing. “Getting to 100 per cent is more difficult and will involve new fuels – ammonia, methane, Hydrogen are front runners.

“There is extensive research on this globally and they aren’t there yet. But we have a little more time to work on these and how we can adapt to them in a Pacific scenario.”

He said in order to reach the target team work was needed.

“I think the government is already beginning to take the necessary steps,” Mr Nuttall said.

According to the office of the Minister of Transport nothing can be said on the matter now as comments are on hold until the budget announcement this Friday.