NMSA opens Milne Bay office

By DYLAN MURRAY
THE National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) opened its office in Milne Bay yesterday.
The new field office will house safety and oil spill equipment for the province and the surrounding area.
NMSA board chairman Peter Humphreys said this was part of their strategy to have a presence in the 15 maritime provinces throughout the country.
Humphreys said inland waterways on the mainland also fell under NMSA jurisdiction.
“We need to be visible in provinces and districts,” he explained.
“Establishing offices in Alotau and other centres is not only for better services but also improving NMSA’s presence in managing and regulating safety in the shipping services in the provinces.”
NMSA has a total of six offices outside of Port Moresby, in all three coastal regions in the country.
They have an office in Vanimo, Madang, Lae, Rabaul, Kimbe, and now their new Alotau office.
He noted the challenges to establishing these offices, including finding suitable land, securing approval from the provincial government, funding, and having to resource these offices with skilled personnel.
He said the opening of the office marked the start of much needed improvements to the Milne Bay shipping industry in terms of safety for persons and goods being transported.
Secretary for the Department of Transport, Roy Mumu, said safety was critical, especially for Milne Bay as the province was the largest maritime province in the country.
“Milne Bay recorded only six incidents at sea in 2022,” he said.