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Posted by Allen Newton
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14 June, 2026
SEVEN Pacific Island nations have joined forces to overhaul domestic shipping across Oceania.
The Pacific Blue Shipping Partnership (PBSP) has been created by ministers from Fiji, the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Naoero, the Marshall Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu who have signed the charter at the inaugural PBSP Ministerial Council in Majuro. Palau and Tonga are also expected to join.
The PBSP will be headquartered in Majuro, with Marshall Islands transport minister Hilton Kendall elected as inaugural chair. Kendall described the signing as “a historic moment for Pacific regional cooperation,” noting that the charter transforms a shared vision into a permanent institution to drive the transition to cleaner, more resilient and affordable maritime transport.
The partnership has been created to tackle long‑standing challenges facing domestic shipping in the Pacific, where ageing vessels operate some of the world’s longest and most expensive island routes. Among its first priorities will be the development of a Green Climate Fund application to support a demonstration fleet of low‑carbon, wind‑propelled vessels, alongside investment in maritime maintenance facilities, training programs and institutional capacity building.
The initiative builds on climate leadership shown by Pacific states at the International Maritime Organization and seeks to apply similar ambition to domestic shipping networks. It will also expand on projects such as the Juren Ae, a sailing cargo vessel developed for the Marshall Islands Shipping Corporation to serve remote inter‑atoll communities.
Pacific island nations are said to face some of the world’s toughest shipping challenges. Fleets are small, ageing and expensive to maintain, while routes are long and often uneconomic. A single voyage between outer islands can cost more than a coastal run in Australia, and vessels are frequently decades old.
The PBSP institutionalises regional cooperation, pooling resources to modernise fleets, attract climate finance and build shared infrastructure. The focus on low‑carbon demonstration vessels reflects the Pacific’s leadership at the International Maritime Organisation, but applies it to domestic shipping networks where costs and emissions are highest.
