The Pacific Community (SPC) has been selected by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to host the regional Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for the Pacific region (MTCC-Pacific) in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
The MTCC-Pacific forms part of a Global MTCC Network project on capacity building for climate mitigation in the maritime shipping industry.
The global network project is implemented by IMO and funded by the European Union.
The MTCC-Pacific will be a regional centre of excellence promoting a low carbon maritime transport that supports the sustainable development goals of Pacific Small Islands Developing States and Least Developed Countries.
“We are delighted to collaborate with IMO on this very important initiative and value the collaborative work with SPREP. This Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre for the Pacific will deliver capacity-building activities and pilot projects to promote the uptake of low-carbon technologies and operations in shipping and ports in the Pacific region which is in line with SPC’s efforts to support sustainable development across the region including in the maritime sector,” Pacific Community Director-General, Dr Colin Tukuitonga said.
“At their third meeting in Tonga last April, the Pacific Energy and Transport Ministers acknowledged the pivotal role of affordable, reliable and sustainable energy and transport services for all and the contribution of these sectors to global efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They urged all stakeholders to take appropriate action to progress low-carbon maritime transport in the Pacific and the MTCC-Pacific will assist in making this commitment a reality,” Dr Tukuitonga added.
The MTCC-Pacific will be located at the SPC Suva Campus in, Fiji. Others MTCCs have been established in Latin America at the International Maritime University of Panama (UMIP); in Africa at the Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT); in Asia at the Shanghai Maritime University; and in the Caribbean at the University of Trinidad and Tobago.
Media contact:
Atishma Lal, SPC Economic Development Division Information Assistant, [email protected] or +679 337 9402.