US Coast Guard vessel unable to enter Solomon Islands port to refuel while patrolling for illegal fishing in the South Pacific

Posted 16h ago

16 hours ago

The USCGC Oliver Henry is stationed in Guam and carries out duties ranging from maritime law enforcement to search and rescue.(Supplied: US Coast Guard Sector Guam)

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A US Coast Guard vessel was unable to enter the Solomon Islands for a routine port call because the local government did not respond to a request for it to refuel and provision, according to a US official.

Key points:

• The US Coast Guard says the ship was unable to make a scheduled routine port call at Honiara
• The British Navy declined to say if one of its vessels was also declined port access
• Solomon Islands has had a tense relationship with the US and its allies since its recent security pact with China was announced

The USCGC Oliver Henry was on patrol for illegal fishing in the South Pacific when it failed to obtain entry to refuel at Honiara, the Solomon Islands capital, the official from the US Coast Guard said.

The US vessel was diverted to Papua New Guinea instead.

It was scheduled for a routine logistics port call at Solomon Islands, according to a public affairs officer for the US Coast Guard in Hawaii.

“The Government of the Solomon Islands did not respond to the US Government’s request for diplomatic clearance for the vessel to refuel and provision in Honiara,” they said.

“The US Department of State is in contact with the Government of the Solomon Islands and expect all future clearances will be provided to US ships.”

The fisheries agency for the Pacific Islands Forum, a bloc of 17 Pacific nations, has a maritime surveillance centre in Honiara and holds annual surveillance operations for illegal fishing with assistance from Australia, the United States, New Zealand and France.

Royal Navy won’t say if its ship was also denied access

The British navy declined to comment on social media reports that patrol vessel HMS Spey, which is also taking part in Operation Island Chief to monitor for illegal fishing, was declined port access by the Solomon Islands.

“Ships’ programmes are under constant review, and it is routine practice for them to change. For reasons of operational security we do not discuss details,” a Royal Navy spokesman said.

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HMS Spey had Fiji navy officers on board as it worked alongside long-range maritime patrol aircraft from Australia and New Zealand and the US Coast Guard in the operation to gather information for the Pacific Islands Forum fisheries agency, the Royal Navy said in a statement.

It carried out inspections of suspect vessels in ports as well as boardings at sea, the statement said.

The Royal Navy spokesman said it “looks forward to visiting the Solomon Islands at a later date”.

Solomon Islands has had a tense relationship with the United States and its allies since striking a security pact with China in May.

Solomons Islands and Beijing have ruled out a Chinese military base in the country, although a leaked draft showed the security agreement would allow the Chinese navy to dock and replenish.

ABC/Reuters

Posted 16h ago

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