The Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre in the Pacific (M.T.C.C.) Office is set to be established in Samoa by the end of 2018.

Yesterday, the M.T.C.C. took steps to strengthen its expertise in environmental governance, through an agreement between the Pacific Community (S.P.C.) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (S.P.R.E.P.). 

The move is a recognition by M.T.C.C.-Pacific of the need to closely integrate its activities with the climate change mitigation and resilience work underway across the region.

The agreement, which was signed yesterday by S.P.C. Deputy Director General Dr. Audrey Aumua and the S.P.R.E.P. Director General Leota Kosi Latu, provides for an M.T.C.C.-Pacific project officer to be recruited and based at the S.P.R.E.P. offices in Samoa. 

By establishing this position in the S.P.R.E.P. offices, M.T.C.C.-Pacific will be better positioned to ensure that it has direct access to environmental governance expertise, knowledge that will be essential to the success of its work. 

Dr. Audrey Aumua highlighted the agreement as an example of how the Pacific is working together to meet the challenges of climate change, “M.T.C.C.-Pacific was created for the benefit of the entire region. By combining the climate change mitigation and environmental governance expertise, knowledge and experience from S.P.C. and S.P.R.E.P, we can ensure that M.T.C.C.-Pacific has the tools its needs to support the Pacific maritime sector.”

M.T.C.C.-Pacific is one of the five centres established worldwide and forms part of the Global M.T.C.C’s Network (G.M.N.), implemented by the International Maritime Organization (I.M.O.) and funded by the European Union. 

S.P.C. hosts M.T.C.C.-Pacific with S.P.R.E.P. as part of a collaborative approach for climate change mitigation in maritime.

In its first year, M.T.C.C.-Pacific provided training on shore and ship energy efficient operations to 150 people, including 23 women, in six targeted Pacific islands countries and assisted in energy management development activities for 18 ships and 7 ports. 

As a result of M.T.C.C.-Pacific work in the Pacific, six ships are now implementing a Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan. 

The Solomon Islands Port Authority has reported overall energy savings of 8% or 15 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions per month following M.T.C.C.-Pacific energy audits and implementation of short-term pilot-projects.

 “We are extremely delighted with what the Pacific-M.T.C.C. has been able to deliver with pilot projects such limited resources” said Leota said. 

“The delivery of this project can only be strengthened through our organisations close collaboration through the signing of this agreement”.

In recognition of the leading role and specializations of Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (C.R.O.P.), M.T.C.C.-Pacific has taken a fully collaborative approach to its efforts. Several other partners including the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (P.I.F.S.), the Pacific Islands Development Forum (P.I.D.F.) and the University of the South Pacific (U.S.P.) are also engaged on low carbon development and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. 

This collaborative approach will continue to be expanded ensuring that M.T.C.C.-Pacific has knowledge and expertise it needs to full fill its important mandate.