Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport (MCST) Blog

Peter Nuttall Micronesia Centre for Sustainable Transport This article was written in February 2020, a year ago since appearing on this blogsite The critical importance of sea transport to Pacific countries and its interrelationship to all levels of socio-economic development are widely recognised and documented. The sector currently has a range of challenges including the prevalence of old, inefficient and undermaintained vessels, and a lack of supporting modern infrastructure including ports, facilities for bunkering, ship building, maintenance, and repair. Existing vessels service and underpin micro-economies at the end of long and narrow operating routes, with the consequence that sea transport within and between Pacific countries is the most expensive per unit distance and per capita in the world. Transportation and mobility is a cross-cutting issue central to the sustainable development of Pacific Island countries. In the Pacific we do not have fast rail, concrete freeways and bi...

Original article can be found online and at  MCST - Newell A et.al. A collection of opinion editorials (mcst-rmiusp.org) .  Magnification required

  Alison Nuttall is the Director for Sailing for Sustainability and Researcher on GHG Emissions across the Pacific I posted Pete Nuttall’s analysis from last week’s Fiji Sun (“Can we build another Reef Endeavour?” 27/5/20) to the Seafarers Fiji Facebook group. His think piece on now being the time to revitalise Fiji’s ship building industry certainly started a conversation. Comments came pouring in, both from locals but also from Fiji’s seafaring diaspora, with recollections from the days of building the Reef Endeavour , demonstrating that Fiji still has a wealth of experience and knowledge, albeit much overseas-based.  Comments also highlighted the need for a combined package: training, yards, supporting services and industry to name just a few. This week I read Fei Tevi’s article ( https://gripinequality.org/2020/05/17-miniseries-on-covid-19-and-inequality-responses-from-the-pacific-ocean/ ) on the Pacific’s response to the double whammy of covid-19 and TC Harold, and his c...

  Dr Peter Nuttall, Scientific and Technical Advisor to the Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport . This article was published in April 2020, a year before appearing on this blogsite Back to the future - lessons from the Past  -  In the build-up to the Madrid Climate Summit last year, Fiji leaders, alongside other Pacific states, announced new high ambition targets for its domestic shipping sector. 100% carbon free by 2050 with a milestone of 40% reduction by 2030. Ambitious, challenging, even daunting. But just like winning gold at Rio, it is achievable.   100-odd years ago shipping underwent a fundamental technology revolution, from thousands of years of primary wind and paddle propulsion to fossil-fuel powered underwater propellers.  First, we burnt coal to make steam and then we invented the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) to burn heavy oil and then diesel. Finally we could drive a ship against the forces of nature and get to market faster. More re...