Pacific shipping lifeline faces crisis as experts push wind-powered transition

By Ron Rocky Coloma

For many Pacific Island communities, a delayed ship does not just mean inconvenience. It can mean empty store shelves, fuel shortages and isolation.

“Shipping is for us as railways, canals and freeways are for developed countries,” said Natasha Chan, assistant legal researcher for Micronesian Center for Sustainable Transport. “It is our absolute lifeline.”

Speaking during a regional discussion on low-carbon maritime transport, Chan noted that Pacific island nations remain heavily dependent on imported fossil fuels and aging vessels, leaving them vulnerable to rising fuel costs and climate change.

The Pacific’s geography compounds the problem. Island nations span millions of square miles, with routes often stretching hundreds of miles between small, low-income communities. According to Chan, the region faces some of the highest maritime connectivity costs in the world, paired with long distances, limited trade capacity and aging fleets.

“Our domestic shipping services are often inadequate and substandard, except on the most profitable routes,” she said.

Decades of development reports have highlighted the same issues. Limited investment and insurance capacity have forced operators to rely on old or donated vessels. Maintenance systems are weak, and the workforce is often undervalued and under-resourced.

Chan said the result is a cycle that keeps the sector struggling.

“We are trapped in a vicious cycle, where no investment and insurance capacity means we are reliant on either old, imported, end-of-life or donated aid vessels,” she said.

Despite these challenges, experts say solutions already exist.

Chan pointed to research showing that fuel savings of at least 40 percent are achievable today using existing technologies if applied correctly in the Pacific context.

“If we can understand the unique nature of our problem and apply the appropriate development and climate financing modalities, fuel savings of at least 40 percent are available to us today with existing, mature technologies,” she said.

Globally, innovation in maritime decarbonization is accelerating. Countries such as China, France and Norway have recently announced hydrogen-powered ships and large-scale clean fuel programs. But Chan said these advances are not always suitable for Pacific conditions.

“What is not happening is the investment in research and development at our scale of vessels,” she said. “It is not a case of simply taking international market leaders and scaling them down.”

Researchers have identified wind-assisted propulsion as one of the most practical near-term solutions.

Wind-assisted systems, which use sails or similar technologies to reduce fuel consumption, were tested in the Pacific during the 1980s fuel crisis and showed fuel savings of about 30 percent. With modern materials and designs, newer systems could achieve more than 50 percent savings, she said.

Andrew Dickson, director of Australia’s Smart Energy Council, said wind propulsion offers a rare combination of simplicity and effectiveness.

“Wind is the ultimate low-tech solution. It’s available everywhere today. It’s available at the point of use. There is no complex supply chain that’s needed,” he said.

Dickson said newer fuels like hydrogen and ammonia may play a role in the future but remain expensive and difficult to scale in the near term.

“In theory, they could help decarbonize shipping, but it’s going to take a long time before it’s viable,” he said, describing wind-assisted systems as a practical starting point that can be added to existing ships or built into new vessels.

“It’s not the complete solution. It’s a hybrid,” he said. “Wind reduces the need for shipping fuel. So it’s a really, really great place to start.”

ADVERTISEMENT

One example already operating in the region is a prototype vessel developed for the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The ship combines wind propulsion with hybrid systems, including solar and electric components, and has been in service since mid-2024.

Raffael Held, a project director working on the initiative, said the vessel represents both a technical and political milestone.

 “The ship is currently underway, and I think we are still learning,” he said.

Held emphasized that the project was designed not just to test technology but to function in remote island conditions, where spare parts and technical support can be difficult to access.

“It was really essential for us to design a ship that can function in this extremely remote region,” he said.

Interest in similar projects is growing across the Pacific and beyond.

Held said countries including Palau, Fiji, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia have expressed interest, along with nations in the Indian Ocean and Caribbean.

“The Marshall Islands has led the way and paved the path," he said.

Still, experts cautioned that technology alone will not solve the region’s shipping challenges.

Chan outlined several foundational needs, including training for seafarers and regulators, better maintenance systems, improved access to maritime data and stronger institutional capacity.

“The transition requires informed and empowered people,” she said.

Without those systems in place, even the most advanced vessels may struggle to operate effectively.

Held echoed that point, stressing that a functioning maritime system depends on more than ship design.

“The vessel alone is a really important element,” he said. “But those elements alone will not make a functioning system. It is much more about the governance around it.”

Subscribe to

our digital

monthly issue