US provides Fiji with three new boats to bolster maritime security

Fiji has received three new seven-metre rigid-hull inflatable boats and a boat ramp from the United States to strengthen its response to drug trafficking, illegal fishing and other maritime threats.

According to a report by The Fiji Times, the equipment was formally handed over at the Stanley Brown Naval Base. US Chargé d’Affaires Christina Cavallo said the vessels would help Fiji respond to growing transnational security challenges across the Pacific.

“Whether seizing tonnes of methamphetamine from shipping containers or finding bundles of cocaine washed up on our beaches, we all grapple with illegal drug trafficking,” Ms Cavallo said, as quoted by The Fiji Times.

She said the boats would also support fisheries enforcement, search-and-rescue operations and efforts to safeguard Fiji’s sovereignty and maritime resources, as reported by The Fiji Times.

Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua said the new equipment was particularly important for Fiji because it relied on the ocean for trade, communities, fisheries and transportation.

“These rigs may be small vessels, but they will give the navy greater flexibility and mobility in the work it does,” he said, The Fiji Times has quoted.

Tikoduadua said the boats would allow naval personnel to operate closer to shore, transport people quickly and carry out operations that may not be suitable for larger vessels.

“Fiji must be able to understand what is happening in our waters, to act when required, and to contribute meaningfully to the security of our region,” The Fiji Times has quoted.

Fiji Navy Commander Timoci Natuva said the project had been under development with the US since 2018-2019 and was aimed at expanding the navy’s presence across Fiji’s waters.

He said the increasing threat posed by drug trafficking and recent cases had highlighted the need for stronger maritime surveillance.

“So, this will be very important in terms of getting our footprint out through Fiji in the islands,” he said, as quoted by The Fiji Times.

The US support includes the three boats, infrastructure, training and spare parts. Natuva described the assistance as a “complete package,” as quoted by The Fiji Times.

He said the vessels would be used for maritime patrols, interdiction, boarding operations and search-and-rescue missions close to Fiji’s shores.