Port Vila, 23 July 2026 – Government representatives, maritime agencies, development partners, the private sector and civil society came together in Port Vila on the 21st of July 2026 to help shape Vanuatu’s transition towards a low-carbon, climate-resilient and inclusive maritime sector. 

Convened by the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) in partnership with the Vanuatu Maritime Safety Authority (VMSA), the stakeholder consultation workshop marked an important milestone in developing Vanuatu’s Low-Carbon Maritime Transport Roadmap and Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) System. 

For an island nation like Vanuatu, maritime transport is the lifeline that connects communities, supports trade and tourism, and provides access to essential services. As climate change continues to impact the Pacific, participants reaffirmed that building a more resilient and sustainable maritime sector is critical to safeguarding livelihoods while supporting long-term economic growth. 

The workshop brought together diverse perspectives to identify practical opportunities and priorities for decarbonizing the maritime sector. Discussions extended beyond reducing emissions to strengthening maritime infrastructure including slipways, wharfs and jetties, improving vessel efficiency and safety, investing in workforce skills and filling in critical human resource gaps including captains, engineers, welders, mechanics, painters and skilled tradesmen, promoting social inclusion and enhancing data systems to support evidence-based decision-making. 

The workshop builds on the findings from the Vanuatu high-level framework for preparing a national maritime decarbonization and climate resilience strategy developed by GGGI in 2025 under the Climate Finance Access Network (CFAN) regional program supported by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) Australia. 

Participants emphasized that the roadmap must reflect Vanuatu’s unique circumstances and be shaped by national priorities, context specific requirements, local knowledge and strong partnerships. The insights gathered will inform practical actions that support a cleaner, safer and more resilient maritime sector while contributing to Vanuatu’s national development, enhanced and inclusive maritime transport and climate ambitions. 

“Maritime transport is the lifeline of Vanuatu. By working together to develop practical and nationally owned solutions, we are not only reducing emissions but strengthening the resilience, connectivity and sustainability of our maritime sector for future generations,” said Samson Vilvil Fare, Director General of the Vanuatu’s Ministry of Fisheries, Oceans and Maritime Affairs. 

“GGGI is working alongside the governments of Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu to assess investment needs, identify barriers and opportunities, and develop practical pathways towards a low-carbon maritime future. This includes the preparation of a Low-Carbon Maritime Transport Roadmap and the establishment of robust MRV systems to support evidence-based decision-making and emissions tracking” said Mr. Dheeraj Arrabothu, Vanuatu Deputy Country Representative, GGGI.  

The workshop forms part of GGGI’s regional initiative, supported by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea, to assist Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu in developing practical pathways towards low-carbon and climate-resilient maritime transport across the Pacific. 

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GGGI Pacific

Kelly Vacala, Regional Communications & Knowledge Sharing Lead| Kelly.Vacala@gggi.org