Solomon Islands Maritime Authority
The Fourth SIMA Workshop with Ship Operators, held on March 20, 2024, aimed to continue fostering engagement and partnership between SIMA and the shipping industry. Discussions focused on resourcing maritime development and training, securing partnerships, and applying laws to create a fair environment for all.
Dates: 20 March 2024
Location: Heritage Park Hotel, Honiara.
The workshop opened by highlighting SIMA’s achievements since 2020 and its ongoing commitment to its mandate, with priorities including improving ship safety standards and supporting sustainable maritime employment. A review of the Third Workshop emphasized progress in areas like the Partnership Agreement for the Solomon Islands Maritime College, Seafarer Employment Agreements (SEA) implementation, and Safety Management Systems (SMS) development.
Key presentations included the launching of the SIMA E-gate Database, an integrated system for operators.
Discussions on resourcing maritime development addressed challenges such as lack of capacity for internationally recognized qualifications and difficulty securing competent seafarers.
The path forward involves a Partnership Agreement, improved governance for maritime training, and the establishment of a Maritime Development Fund. New fees, charges, and levies will be introduced from July 2024 to support maritime development, alongside significant upgrades to SINU’s Maritime College infrastructure and curricula.
Updates on seafarer qualifications noted 1708 total seafarers. The session on Seafarer Employment Agreements (SEA) focused on ensuring fair and compliant contractual terms for domestic seafarers, with an implementation plan aiming for all seafarers to have SIMA-approved SEAs. The need to balance seafarer salary levels with ship owners’ financial capacity was also discussed.
Regarding Safety Management System (SMS) Implementation, targets were detailed for 2024-2027, aiming for 100% of registered vessels over 100 passengers to have an approved SMS by 2026 and be audited by 2027. SMS objectives include ensuring safe operations, seafarer competency, and compliance with maritime laws.
Presentations also covered preventing and responding to air and marine pollution, with objectives to increase public awareness and drive behavioral change. Ship operators’ responsibilities under MARPOL, including developing various management plans, were emphasized, and the National Pollution Fund (POLFUND) was highlighted for financing response and capacity building.
Reporting and assistance obligations were stressed, including twice-daily ship position reporting for Search & Rescue (SAR) operations. The moral and legal duty for ship masters to assist persons in distress at sea was reiterated, along with the importance of reporting incidents, vessel modifications, and damage to Aids to Navigation (AtoN).
An update on the National General Election Shipping Arrangement acknowledged its role but also noted the impracticality of transporting very large numbers of people without making shipping companies unprofitable.
The workshop concluded with closing remarks from Ms. Brenda Oeta, Principal Officer, Vessel Inspection, who presented the workshop’s outcomes:
The detailed report of the Fourth SIMA Workshop with Ship Operators can be found here. Any complementary information can be requested to Brenda Oeta, Principal Officer Vessel Inspection at brenda.oeta@sima.gov.sb. The presentations can be downloaded in the event programme below by clicking on the hyperlinks.
| Time | Agenda Item | Presenters | |
| Wednesday 20 March 2024 | |||
| 0830 – 0900 | Registration | SIMA | |
| OPENING/PRESENTATION | |||
| Rachel Bare Anita Manager – Environment, Protection & Safety | |||
| 0900 – 0905 | Administrative Matters | Administration Officer, Ms. Alison Ohamana-SIMA | |
| 0905 – 0910 | Welcome Remarks and Prayer | SIMA Deputy Chair, Mr. John Hugo Bugoro | |
| 0910 – 0915 | keynote Address | Manager Shipping, Operations and Safety, Mr. Jonah Mitau-SIMA | |
| 0915 – 0930 | 1 | Launching of SIMA E-gate Database | Technical Officer-Data Management, Mr. Roger Houalaha-SIMA |
| 0930 –1000 | 2 | Resourcing Maritime Development | Deputy Director SIMA, Ms. Agnes Gaote’e |
| 1000 – 1030 | Group Photo & Morning Tea | ||
| SESSION 1 – Shipping Operations and Safety | |||
| Rachel Bare Anita Manager – Environment, Protection & Safety | |||
| 1030 – 1100 | 3 | Seafarer Qualification, Employment & Remuneration | Principal Officer Shipping Operations, Mrs. Cathy Indu-SIMA
Senior Officer Shipping Operations, Ms. Leeane Kivolyn-SIMA |
| 1130 – 1200 | 4 | Safety Management System Implementation | Principal Officer Vessel Inspection, Mr. George Tutu-SIMA |
| 1200 –1330 | Lunch | ||
| SESSION 2 – Environment Protection & Safety | |||
| Rachel Bare Anita Manager – Environment, Protection & Safety | |||
| 1330 – 1400 | 5 | Preventing Pollution: Public Awareness Campaign | Senior Officer, Sustainable Shipping, Mrs. Diana Vasula-SIMA |
| 1400 – 1430 | 6 | Reporting & Assistance Obligations | Senior Officer, Pollution & Safety response, Mr. Ernest Legumana-SIMA
Senior Officer, Safety of Navigation, Mr. Patrick Wamahe-SIMA |
| 1430 – 1500 | 7 | National General Election Shipping Arrangement | Secretary of SIMTA, Mrs. Joy Ririmae-SIMTA |
| 1500 – 1515 | 8 | Wrap Up & Outcomes | Principal Officer-Vessel Inspection, Ms. Brenda Oeta-SIMA |
| 1515 – 1545 | Afternoon Tea | ||
SIMA – Solomon Islands Maritime Authority
PO Box 1932 – Solomon Islands
(677) 21535
contact@sima.gov.sb