The National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) is embarking collaboration efforts with relevant stakeholders and agencies in provinces to collect data and information to improve maritime service delivery and safety.
Data and information are pivotal for planning and making strategic decisions and utilized for risk management. Trends and information derived from this can be used to effectively improve service delivery and mitigate and improve maritime related incidents, accidents and disasters.
In doing so, NMSA has earmarked on carrying out visits to relevant stakeholders and agencies located within various maritime provinces to understand the function and operations in order to establish a common working relationship.
A stakeholders meeting was held in Lae, Morobe Province recently for this purpose.
NMSA General Manager/CEO, Paul Unas said, “There is a need to map out resources, capacity and capabilities that are currently available within your organizations. These can be utilized to improve maritime service delivery, respond and mitigate risks and improve safety overall.”
He said it is envisaged that after this exercise, the NMSA and various organization can collaborate to put in place a plan to find a level playing field to achieve two organizations’ objectives. It is also anticipated that all organizations are able to work together to overcome and minimize different disaster scenarios that may occur in the province.
Mr Unas said: “NMSA in its efforts to improve its service delivery to all stakeholders and partners is taking on a proactive approach to understand the local settings and capabilities. The NMSA is responsible for coordinating maritime search and rescue, prevention of ship sourced marine pollution and maritime safety.”
NMSA is also mandated to collect data related to the three main functions as stipulated by the NMSA Act 2003.