Port Moresby to Host Melanesian Oceans Summit as PNG Champions High-Tech Maritime Security and BBNJ Ratification

At the World Oceans Summit and Expo in Montreal, Papua New Guinea’s Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Jelta Wong announced that Port Moresby will host the upcoming Melanesian Oceans Summit. Wong emphasized the need for new, technology-based strategies to protect marine ecosystems and enhance maritime security throughout the Pacific region.

A key focus of Wong’s presentation was the dark vessel detection program, a satellite surveillance system created by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in partnership with Canada’s Department of National Defence and MDA Space. This initiative employs RADARSAT Constellation Mission technology to identify vessels operating without active Automatic Identification Systems, combined with radio-frequency analysis to track suspicious maritime activity. Wong suggested adapting such systems for Pacific island nations combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing operations.

Wong identified the Port Moresby summit as a venue for exploring regional collaborations and technology transfers. He stated that “advanced surveillance technologies” could enable Pacific nations to “enhance maritime security and protect their rich marine biodiversity” in vast ocean areas where patrol resources are constrained.

Beyond surveillance infrastructure, Wong highlighted ongoing partnerships addressing plastic recycling, renewable energy, mangrove restoration, and coral protection — measures he characterised as essential for climate resilience in Pacific fisheries. He advocated for equitable donor support, asserting the Pacific’s environmental stewardship justifies fair access to financial resources and technology.

Wong additionally promoted ratification of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) agreement, arguing it would strengthen cooperative ocean governance and enable sustainable management of high-seas marine resources that Pacific states depend upon.

Source: Fiji Global News