About the MTCC-Pacific Project

In 2016, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with four-year funding support from the IMO-European Union Project, Capacity Building for Climate Mitigation in the Maritime Shipping Industry, began an initiative to create a Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) Network and establish an MTCC in the following regions: Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Pacific.

The overall objective of the Global Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre (MTCC) Network is to support participating developing countries in these regions, particularly the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDSs), in limiting and reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their shipping sector through technical assistance and capacity building to promote energy efficiency in maritime transport. The Global MTCC Network project is funded by the European Union and implemented by IMO.

The vision of the MTCC-Pacific is to promote a Pacific low-carbon maritime transport that supports the sustainable development goals of Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs) and the transition towards greener economies in the Pacific.

The overall objective of the MTCC-Pacific is to support targeted PICTs in their efforts to reduce their GHG emissions and reliance on fossil fuel by the implementation of standards, best practices and innovative solutions by maritime transport operators. The following results are expected in 2017–2019:

  • MTCC-Pacific formed and established;
  • capacity-building activities at the national and regional levels delivered;
  • a pilot project on “uptake of ship energy-efficient technologies and operations” implemented;
  • a pilot project on “fuel consumption data collection and reporting” implemented; and
  • communication and visibility actions delivered.

The Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), in joint consultation with their member countries, prepared a proposal to act as the host institutions of MTCC in the Pacific (MTCC-Pacific).

Meet The Team

Jens Kruger

Acting MTCC-Pacific Director
Jens is currently the Acting Deputy Director for the Ocean and Maritime Programme of the Pacific Community (SPC). Jens is a graduate of the University of the South Pacific, Fiji and completed an MSC at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He has over 20 years of experience leading multi-disciplinary applied research projects and has a particular interest in the use of marine science and technology in managing the development challenges of Pacific Small Island Developing States. Jens has shaped the regional approach to maritime boundaries for many years and is passionate about collaborative approaches to ocean governance. Jens has worked in over 20 countries including several years as a seafarer on marine survey vessels. This work in the industry and with intergovernmental organisations has resulted in more than 80 publications including technical reports, maps, scientific papers and book chapters.

Dr Mohammed Asid Zullah

Head of MTCC-Pacific / Maritime Safety & Energy Adviser
Dr Zullah is responsible for coordinating the implementation of MTCC-Pacific project and provides technical advice to Pacific islands countries and territories (PICTs) on energy efficiency and the uptake of new technologies and operations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reliance on fossil fuel. He also provides technical assistance on developing Safe Operational Plan (SOP), integrated with Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP). With over 11 years’ experience in heavy industries, Dr Zullah is assisting in strengthening the technical capacity of PICTs to effectively improve energy efficiency and increase the uptake of new technologies in the maritime transport sector. He brings with him classification societies experience through his last experience in South Korea working with some of the world’s biggest shipping builder and ship owners. He has diverse experience and technical knowledge on renewable energy, energy-efficient ship technologies, and maritime codes and practices. To contact Dr Zullah: [email protected]

Ore Toua

Maritime Training Adviser/ Greenhouse Gas Officer
Ms. Ore Toua hails from Papua New Guinea (PNG), she is the first female PNG graduated with a Master of Science in Maritime Affairs from the World Maritime University (WMU) graduate in 2014 and the first female Pacific Islander graduated with the Post Graduated Diploma in Maritime Energy Management from WMU in 2017. She is currently the Maritime Training Adviser, Ocean & Maritime Programme, Geoscience, Energy & Maritime Division of Pacific Community (SPC), and the Ggreenhouse Gas Officer, Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre, MTCC Pacific. She has over 10 years of experience in training and capacity development both nationally and regionally in her work with the Maritime Sector. She has been involved with the design, development and delivery of training programmes including evaluation. She has also been involved in providing technical assistance to training institutes to develop training management systems aligned with various standards Furthermore, she has also worked with Pacific regional accreditation agencies on development and approval of qualifications. She has demonstrated experience and knowledge in developing and designing training materials conducting training, maintaining training records and analysis of training information for future improvement of skills and capacity in focus areas. Ore has been instrumental in the relaunched of the Pacific Women in Maritime Association (PacWIMA) in April 2016 in Tonga. This regional network has flourished and has grown with greater visibility and support. Ore provides oversight and guidance to PacWIMA as part of SPC gender mainstreaming efforts in the maritime sector. PacWIMA to date, has now seven (7) national women in maritime association established and operationalised , in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall islands, Papua New Guinea (PNG), Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. This is a reflection of the strong support, cooperation and coordination efforts among SPC, IMO, regional partners and the maritime administrations in the region.

Matthew Kensen

Maritime Greenhouse Gas Officer_Vacant