Recovery at sea

Waste disposal

Last year, Australia was pleased to have provided financial support to the World Maritime University (WMU) to assist with funding 10 fellowships for maritime professionals from the South Pacific region to undertake the WMU’s 14 month Master’s program in Maritime Affairs. Australia remains a strong supporter for the maritime interests of South Pacific nations and AMSA views this contribution as an ideal way to enhance the technical, professional and leadership skills in the region.

Born and raised on Neiafu on the island of Vava’u—the second largest town in Tonga, life for Hulita always gravitated around family and the ocean. For her, the ocean sustains her community and provides a vital source of international trade for Tonga both locally and internationally.  

Hulita works for the Ministry of Fisheries in Tonga and is one of few women working in the maritime industry. In the future, she is determined to empower women of all ages and as well as educate people on the value of Tonga’s vital environmental and international trade resource—the ocean. 

‘The main issue in the Pacific in terms of capacity building, is people do not care enough about the importance of the ocean,’ she said. 

This presents an obvious concern for Hulita and the opportunity to study at the WMU in 2018-19 allowed her to focus her research on theoretical concepts to build capacity and awareness regarding fisheries management and ocean sustainability. 

Back home in Tonga, Hulita’s professional expertise, Special Management Areas (SMA) of the surrounding oceans of Tonga, inspired her to pursue studies at the WMU. Hulita plans to apply this research to mobilise the local community of Tonga to have a more vested interest in ocean sustainability within the maritime industry.

‘I would like to build capacity in terms of fisheries governance in my local area in Tonga and to help enhance and strengthen awareness of communities and all the people of Tonga regarding the importance of oceans,’ Hulita said.

And for Hulita, encouraging women to take a lead when it comes to education and management of Tonga’s oceans will be necessary. As part of her studies at the WMU in Sweden, Hulita was able to view gender inequity in the maritime industry in Tonga through the prism of global standards—specifically the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (UN SDGs). Goal 5: Gender Equality and goal 14: Life Below Water, specifically guided her interest. Hulita wears the UN SDGs pin proudly—a visual reminder of what remains close to her heart personally and professionally.

‘I would like all the women of Tonga to be aware of the opportunity for women in the maritime industry and I would like to empower and build strength for all women and to do this, we should work together,’ Hulita said. 

In Sweden, Hulita’s dissertation focused on marine special planning – this refers to ecosystem based management for conservation of ocean resources. And as mentioned, Hulita plans to drive capacity building and motivate the local community to observe and respect Special Management Areas in Tonga. Hulita would like to apply her studies by implementing measures to build a sustainable ocean management plan for the region.

‘I hope to educate people on the importance of Special Management Areas in Tonga by engaging with local communities to build capacity. I think it is important to raise awareness in terms of fisheries governance in Tonga,’ she said. 

Hulita intends to apply her theoretical studies garnered from Sweden in fisheries management to foster a sustainable ocean management plan for local community and importantly for Tonga’s international trade.

‘Fish supplies are a key export for Tonga, particularly tuna fish so there is a dependency on this industry for trade to Japan and China—sea cucumbers are also critical for Tonga’s trade and economic development.’ Hulita said.

Hulita is grateful for her time in Sweden and the insights gained from experiencing a different culture and she recognises the value of the scholarship she received from AMSA to study at the WMU and what this has meant to her family.

‘I really want to thank AMSA for the opportunity, without them I would not be here. AMSA have been generous and kind to all the WMU scholarship students. I would also like to thank the WMU for all the great experiences and our host families for showing us their culture in Sweden. And my family, for all their sacrifices, support and advice,’ she said. 

And finally Hulita thanks herself, a well-deserved sentiment she confidently imparts before she returns to her home country. And most importantly, she is aware of the original purpose that inspired her to apply for the AMSA academic scholarship—to raise awareness and promote gender equity and build capacity for ocean management in Tonga and within the Pacific region for future generations.  

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Taiwanese shipping company Yang Ming doesn’t seem to comprehend the depth of our connection to our beaches and the ocean and why Australians were so outraged when its ship, the YM Efficiency, lost 81 containers off the coast of Newcastle and Port Stephens in June 2018.

Yang Ming and its insurer, Britannia P&I – represented here in Australia by AusShip – are commercial businesses.

From their inactions to date, they have no intention of cleaning-up the 60 containers which have been located and identified. By their own admission, these steel containers will eventually corrode and release more plastic into our ocean.

They are working hard to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of commercial fishers who have trawled these coastal waters for decades – for generations in some cases.

Fishers have reported “hook-ups” of their nets on containers during trawling operations.

Their safety is at risk if the containers remain on the sea floor and so are their livelihoods as degrading plastic begins to enter the marine food chain.

Yang Ming have underestimated this Australian community’s ability to see the real issues and the zero tolerance to further environmental pressures on our oceans.

In the aftermath of the container spill, locals came out in droves to clean-up plastic debris as it washed ashore on their precious beaches. It was a violation of their home and I can understand their outrage.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) shares that outrage. Our mission after all is “safe and clean seas, saving lives”.

Safe and clean seas

Over the last 18 months we have battled with Yang Ming and its insurer to take responsibility for the mess they have left behind. When a similar incident occurred in European waters, the insurers immediately engaged salvors to recover the containers from the seabed. When I asked the representative of Britannia why that was not the case off Newcastle I was told that Europe “was not in the middle of nowhere”.

We have reached an impasse with the company and that is why we have signed a $15 million contract with a global leader in salvage – Ardent Oceania – to clean up this mess.

Today (20 December 2019) we have issued an invoice to the tune of $3 million to Yang Ming and its insurers to recover AMSA’s cost of the mobilisation payment for the clean-up operations.

If payment isn’t received by 18 January 2020, we will commence legal action to ensure the polluter pays.

Now, to the salvage operation

Ardent Oceania (formerly Svitzer Salvage) and its director Drew Shannon are no strangers to Newcastle.

They recovered the Pasha Bulker from Nobby’s Beach more than a decade ago after it grounded during a storm.

It was a remarkable feat on the part of the salvors and they will do it again for the pollution left behind by Yang Ming’s YM Efficiency.

Work will begin in March 2020 and it’s expected to be finished in just a month. On our website you can learn more about the cutting-edge technology and methods that Ardent will use to safely confine and retrieve the shipping containers and their contents.

We will be back in town in January and February for industry and community briefings on the project and will keep the community up to date through the Newcastle Herald.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the communities of Newcastle and Port Stephens for their support of the salvage project. Yang Ming and its insurers might be prepared to leave a legacy of plastic pollution behind, but we are not.

- Mick Kinley, CEO AMSA

In June 2017, Takoko, meaning Sea Hawk in the traditional language of the Gooreng Gooreng people, joined the existing fleet of four pilot vessels that service the ports.

GPC CEO Peter O’Sullivan said the vessel was a much anticipated asset for Gladstone Marine Pilot Services (GMPS).

“The Takoko is a Pantocarene designed self-righting pilot vessel delivering a higher level of safety and ease of operation whilst reducing operating costs,” he said.

“This state of the art pilot vessel is the envy of many ports. We are grateful to have such a modern vessel assisting us in servicing port operations.

“Honoring shipping tradition we have blessed the vessel to ensure the safety and prosperity of the vessel and its crew onboard.”

The Airbus 135H helicopter was the result of a joint tender process between GPC and North Queensland Bulk Port. Mackay Helicopters Pty Ltd were awarded the contract for the supply of helicopters to conduct marine pilot transfer services for the ports.

“For the past 30 years helicopters have been used in addition to pilot boats, to transport marine pilots to and from ships that visit the port,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

“Helicopter transfer operations significantly reduces the pilot transfer time and the new Airbus 135H is one of the safest helicopters in the business.”

The new helicopter commenced servicing the ports in July.

The MOU between AMSA and the Department of Defence will strengthen the relationship between military and civilian maritime jurisdictions to support safety at sea and delivery of naval capability.

This MOU will allow for a rapid transfer of vessels from Australia’s civilian regulation authority (known as Flag administration) to operate under a Defence Flag administration to support of Australia’s interests when needed.

This is a great example of cross-government cooperation for the benefit of Australia.

Further information

Read our media release Navy and AMSA join to enhance maritime operations.

Download a copy of the Memorandum of understanding with the Department of Defence PDF715.15 KB.

L-R: Head of Navy Engineering, Rear Admiral Kath Richards, AM, CSC, RAN, Chief of Navy, Vice Admiral Mark Hammond AM, RAN, Chief Executive Officer AMSA Mr Mick Kinley and Executive Director Operations AMSA Mr Michael Drake at the signing of the MOU

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