FIJI

LOGISTICS PLANNING OVERVIEW

Identified Gaps & proposed Solutions &

Logistics Planning

GLOBAL LOGISTICS CLUSTER – WFP

PROGRAM FUNDED BY:

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A. LOGISTICS PLANNING OVERVIEW

a. IDENTIFIED GAPS & PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

Organizing emergency logistics operations for delivery and distribution may be a real challenge in due to the remoteness of outer Islands, access conditions to affected locations on the main Islands and operational constraints in entry ports facilties. All actors agree that logistics is one of the major bottlenecks in past emergency responses. On the whole, both logistics infrastructures and services are in place in Fiji. Technical agencies in charge of those infrastructures and services are dedicated and competent. Emergency Logistics operations are generally organized, efficient and adequate. Nevertheless, some areas of improvement have been identified. These areas are detailed here under together with propositions to address those gaps. A separate “Logistics Preparedness Plan” has been drafted to implement those propositions of improvement.

LOGISTICS RELATED GAPS/BOTTLENECKS IDENTIFIED:

The logistics gaps identified concern the following subjects:

o Coordination & Preparedness o Networking o Human Resources o Capitalization o Information Management o Storage o Commodities tracking o Operational and access challenges

Coordination & Preparedness  Cyclones / Floods seasons need to be prepared, also regarding logistics issues. The logistics coordination needs to meet before the wet season to prepare for potential emergencies, revise everybody’s roles and responsibilities, etc.  Stand-by agreements / protocols could be established and agreed upon prior to emergencies with key emergency actors, including customs, RFMF, Police, private companies, etc. Formalize transport options ahead of the cyclone season. Sectors concerned are: customs, transport (land, sea, and air), and storage, dispatching and tracking.  Agencies representatives appointed to the NEOC are changing for every emergency  insufficiently experienced persons, no capitalization , difficulties for capacity building, training  Need to involve private companies in the preparedness phases, stand-by agreements, dispatching & commodities tracking, coordination  Some NGOs, businesses and other charities are implementing emergency operations alone and on their own priorities, resulting in some duplication of relief effort. Closer cooperation for disaster planning is required to ensure better coordination.

Networking  Need to increase the networking with private companies (which could be very helpful during emergencies), including for preparedness activities and operations management. All the private companies met mentioned that they have never been contacted for emergency management related issues. A plan should be developed with private sector to ensure rapid mobilization of resources.  Quite surprisingly, the same has been said for some key logistics infrastructure, like Airport.  Governmental agencies also mentioned concerns regarding coordination with / leadership from the NDMO, including preparedness meetings prior to the wet season. 2 | P a g e

Human Resources  Strong turnover in NDMO and other governmental agencies, linked with an insufficient capitalization of logistics activities during emergency responses, has negative consequences:  new staffs are less experienced  incomplete knowledge of existing mechanisms, of past experiences  increased gaps in the necessary capitalization  gaps in networking  Emergency responses training sessions / simulations are recommended. Those trainings should include GoF, UN and NGOs agencies

Baseline Information / Capitalization  No reliable baseline logistics data available at local level (transport capacities, availability of ships for relief operations and transport, storage options …). Logistics Capacity Assessments need to be done at district level, with priority to the most disasters prone areas.  There is no central inventory of locally available equipment that could be used during a disaster event.  At national and divisional level, there is little information on pre-positioned stocks.  There is no identified central repository for relevant disaster management information and tools.  Post emergencies debriefing sessions & reports are regularly done. Nevertheless, they are not used to plan / prepare for the next emergencies  No best practices documents found  Preparedness plans exist but, even at the NDMO, people are not informed, nor are they using those plans. This is true also at sub-national levels

Communication / Information Management  Update contacts lists regularly, also at divisional / local levels.  Humanitarian organisations will require guidance and support with import and customs clearance for the relief items, majority of which will have to be sourced from outside PNG.

Storage  Insufficient storage capacities at Fiji’s entry points for significant disasters  Insufficient storage capacities at intermediate hubs  No storage capacities in remote outer islands

Commodities tracking  Need to implement tracking systems for the recording of receipt, delivery, and distribution of relief items. In previous emergencies there has been a lack of cargo tracking of goods to the affected areas. This tracking system needs to be linked with the dispatching centers.

Operational and access challenges  Systematic reception / dispatching centres at the entry points are needed for receipt, dispatching and tracking of relief items. These logistics hubs should be operated by people trained / professionals and include customs and transport cells.  Access to the remote locations of the main islands and access to the remote outer islands are systematic operational challenges during initial stages of emergency responses  No appropriate wharves for big shipment landing in remote locations. Transshipment operations necessary in main logistics hubs  Likelihood that entry points / intermediate hubs (wharves and airstrips) could be badly affected or destroyed.  Likelihood that land access to / from some of the main entry points (mainly in Western Division: Nadi / ) will be blocked in the initial phases of emergency operations (inadequate drainage system). Leading to clear operational congestion of port/airport and making any surge of operations unrealistic.

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 Insufficient equipment available for some governmental agencies. Backup facilities (generators, water tanks, etc.) are needed. Additional search & rescue equipments (boats), or stand-by agreements with owners, are needed

SOLUTIONS PROPOSED

o Customs facilitation for registered agencies  During emergencies, set up a Customs Clearance coordination cell, composed by one representative from Fiji Procurement Office + one from FIRCA. In addition, a volunteer support from one of the major Freight Forwarding / Shipping / CC brokers companies should be a significant added value.  Ensure tax free import and facilitate customs clearance process for relief items during emergencies for registered agencies (including contingency stocks refurbishment after emergencies)

o Storage . There are clear storage / commodities management issues at all main entry points ( port, Nadi airport, Lautoka port and airport).  As emergency operations are likely to happen during the wet seasons, open storage is not an option  The commodities should - as much as possible – be directly routed to the final delivery points. This concerns only the small / medium scale scenarios.  For larger scale scenarios, among the options to consider: o Fiji government / RFMF to procure MSUs that can be set up quickly everywhere in the country. Sites should be pre-identified for this purpose o Humanitarian community, through the PHT, to get the funding for the procurement of “Logistics Kits for entry points”. Those kits include a MSU, one prefab for office, power generation and lightning equipment. Information about the kits for entry points are in annex. o Stand-by agreements with private transport companies, for the temporary use of part of their storage capacities during emergency operations. This option being only for a very short time, before finding a longer term solution. o ! Repackaging and transshipment need to be considered when designing the storage / dispatching center. . Storage and dispatching at intermediate hubs (for large scale scenario) / final destination points (outer islands entry points) are also an issue.  Among options to consider: o Each district to identify temporary storage facilities (governmental buildings, private companies …) or to select – floods safe - areas for the setting up of tents. o RFMF/other governmental agencies to provide smaller tents for temporary storage o For large scale scenarios on outer islands, MSUs will probably be the only option.

o Coordination & Preparedness . The issues related to preparedness: (i) local / national databases, (ii) stand-by agreements with transport companies, customs, etc and (iii) preparedness meetings and processes before the wet seasons and including private companies; will all be addressed in a “logistics preparedness work plan” that will be owned by the Executive Cell of the Logistics Coordination Group (see here under). 4 | P a g e

. In order to ensure sustainable progress related to emergency logistics preparedness, a Logistics Coordination Group (LCG) was set up, chaired by the Permanent Secretary of the Provincial Development Ministry.  Composition: o Governmental agencies involved in logistics operations during emergencies will be asked to appoint a focal person to be member of the LCG. As this person should be appointed for a long term, this should solve the problem of turnover in governmental agencies. o UN agencies, NGOs and private companies will also be able to participate to the LCG, on a voluntary basis  An executive cell will coordinate the activities of the LCG o The member of this executive cell are: . Joji Satakala - representative from the NDMO – head of the Planning and Emergency Operations Unit . Anthony Blake - representative from the NGOs - coordinator of PCIDRR, and emergency specialist in Fiji . Keith Andrews - representative from the Red Cross – Logistics Coordinator for FRCS . Nick Taylor - representative from the Private Sector –DG of DHL . Major Loanakadavu - representative from the RFMF –head of the Logistics Cell in the RFMF . Peter Muller - representative from the UN –OCHA office in Suva

o Commodities tracking . This issue is mentioned as a recurrent problem in emergency operations, leading to problems for stocks refurbishment, etc ... . Many transport / logistics / dispatching private companies are present in the country. All of them having developed efficient operational tracking systems (DHL, TNT, but also the shipping companies, FMF, etc.)  Rather than developing a new commodities tracking system for emergency operations, it is recommended asking private companies to join in at the initial stages of emergency operations, to operate the dispatching centers and set up / implement commodities tracking systems. This recommendation will require that prior stand-by agreement – even basic – is signed between NDMO and the pre-identified private companies.

o Operational challenges . Many operational challenges linked to the supply chain may be addressed by an improved emergency preparedness:  Comprehensive and updated databases of logistics capacities available in the country: equipment, human resources, transport companies, transport assets, etc. These databases need to be set up at national, divisional and district levels  Stand-by agreements with key stakeholders, all along the supply chain: o With customs for quick clearance of all relief items entering the country (+ support from private CC agents and Fiji’s procurement department) o With private transport companies and governmental agencies benefitting from transport assets o With logistics companies (courier, transport, industries) for supporting logistics operations (dispatching center + tracking systems)  Systematic setup of dispatching centers at entry points / logistics hubs (depending on the specific ConOps), operated with the support of private companies (tracking) 5 | P a g e

 Improved seasonal preparedness: o Specific Logistics preparedness & coordination meetings being organized before the wet season (in October), revising the SoPs in place for Logistics operations, and including key Logistics infrastructures and services: ports, airports managers, private companies, etc. o Once a year, a simulation exercise should be organized at divisional level, including all agencies (UN, government, private sector) involved in logistics operations . Nevertheless, some challenges cannot be addressed only by improving logistics preparedness, as those challenges need additional equipment / improved infrastructures capacities and have significant financial requirements.  Many agencies mention that insufficient equipments have a significant impact on their operations. For example, Fiji Water Authority manages a strong water network and can answer water distribution problems with water trucking (as the agency has trucks available for this). But FWA doesn’t have water tanks to be placed in the communities, leading to problems for the Logistics sector that will need to provide those tanks. This problem could be anticipated.  Access problems, together with logistics preparedness and coordination, are identified as the main problem in Fiji for emergency operations. These problems concern access to affected areas, access to remote outer islands, and access to / from the main entry points. o For example, even if the Western Division has strong logistics infrastructures (Nadi International Airport, Lautoka Port) that could quite easily manage a sudden surge of operations linked to emergency relief operations, the access to those key infrastructures will probably be impossible during several days after a disaster as they will be flooded or severely damaged (even during medium scale floods, for example). This could cause a severe congestion for their “normal” operations making a surge of activities unrealistic. o The responses to those problems are beyond the capacities of an improved preparedness as it will require significant infrastructure development plans (cities drainage plans, upgrading of key access roads, etc.) and significant financial support (from GoF and/or development agencies). o Nevertheless, these issues are important and need to be addressed. Logistics SoPs will need to take this into consideration, by developing “plans B” for emergency operations. For example, if the Western Division is concerned by a large scale disaster, all entry / dispatching operations should be managed from the Central Division infrastructures (Suva port + Nausori Airport). If infrastructures are all non-operational (for example due to a cyclone hitting both divisions), Northern Division infrastructures – even if insufficiently developed – could be used temporarily to the first 72 hours operations.

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FIJI’S LOGISTICS & PLANNING ORGANISATION

FIJI GENERAL LOGISTICS AND PLANNING MAP

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ENTRY POINTS

Main entry points:  Air – Nadi International Airport  Sea – Suva Port

Both locations offer all logistics services: . Customs facilitation . Open Storage and Warehouses . Operations Rooms . Centralized Information for Transport and Deliveries Nevertheless, congestion issues exist for Suva port, including during normal operations and access is not guaranteed to Nadi airport during emergencies

Secondary entry points - First B plans if the main entry point are non-operational for whatever reason)  Air – Nausori International Airport  Sea – Lautoka Port

Same remarks as for the main entry points, congestion issues concern both locations during emergencies, access to Lautoka port is not guaranteed during emergency operations and both locations face lack of equipment problems. Nausori airport operations are limited to B-737

Alternative solutions  Air – / Airports  Sea – Savusavu / Ports

The mentioned airports have runways capacity to host Hercules C-130 but not B-737, as both runways are around 3000 feet long The above mentioned ports have no containers management and storage capacities

Notes:  Air: o The only airport sufficiently equipped to operate significant emergency operations is Nadi o Nausori airport can only host planes  B737-800 and has no cargo equipment at all o All other airports will only operate ATR42 or Hercules and have no equipment  Sea: o Suva port is equipped for containers operations but faces congestions issues – including in normal times. o Lautoka port is also equipped for containers management and doesn’t face congestion problems in normal times but will probably face huge congestions problems during emergencies as the accesses to the port will probably be blocked o All other ports, even if having adapted wharves, are not equipped to operate containers  transshipment operations required for all operations to remote islands, even if the main entry points are used as primary entry / dispatching.

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EXISTING OPERATIONAL CORRIDORS IN PNG

Main existing corridors  Land o Nausori – Suva: The bulk of industrial / commercial / transport companies are situated along the Nausori - Suva corridor (20 km) o Lautoka – Nadi – Suva: Additional industrial companies (sugar, pine wood, garments) are located in the Western Division (Lautoka, Nadi)  The Queens road (Southern road) is an important land transport corridor as the companies privilege Suva port for their import / export activities

 Air o International: Air Pacific, the National flag carrier operates regional and interregional destinations (see map). All other companies operate on mostly the same destinations.

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o Domestic: For domestic movements also, Air Pacific, the National flag carrier, is the main operator (see map)

 Sea o International – Fiji is connected to the main regional and international sea transport hubs. Most of the biggest international shipping companies operate in Fiji, either directly or through partnership with local / regional companies. Shipping operations from Australia will take 3 (Brisbane) to 4 (Sydney) days, while from New- Zealand, 3 days will be necessary. Here are the main shipping commercial routes:

Name of Shipping Lines Country of Origin Countries Covered Polynesian Shipping Line New Zealand New Zealand & Pacific Hamburg Sud Germany Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, West Coast North America Forum Samoa New Zealand Australia & Pacific Florence New Zealand New Zealand & Pacific Forum Avarua New Zealand Fiji & Rarotonga Swire Shipping New Zealand New Zealand & Pacific Origin Energy Australia Australia & Pacific Pacific International Lines Singapore Asia, Fiji and New Zealand Pacific Forum Line Fiji Australia, New Zealand & Pacific New Guinea Pacific Line Australia Fiji, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan Greater Bali Hai Australia Korea, Japan, Fiji, Pacific Islands Pacific Direct Line New Zealand Pacific Islands, Australia & New Zealand

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o Domestic – Fiji Government Shipping Services (GSS) operate regular inter-islands sea cargo, mainly operated by 14 Ro-Ro / cargo transport vessels. Other private companies may operate certain connections – franchised by Fiji Shipping Corporation Limited (FSCL) Here are the main routes operated by GSS:

FROM TO

Suva Beqa, Vatulele & Kadavu Suva Gau, Nairai & Batiki Suva Moala, Matuku & Totoya Suva Koro Suva Northern Lau: [Lakeba, Nayau, Tuvuca, Cicia, V/Balavu, Cikobia, Vanuavatu] Suva Southern Lau: [Ogea, Fulaga, Moce, Komo, Namuka, Kabara, Oneata] Vatoa & Ono-i-Lau Suva Natewa Bay Suva Levuka Suva Savusavu Suva Suva Laucala, , Buca & Rabi Suva Labasa Suva Nabouwalu Suva Levuka Savusavu Levuka Taveuni Levuka Laucala, Qamea, Buca & Rabi Savusavu Taveuni Savusavu Laucala, Qamea, Buca & Rabi Taveuni Laucala, Qamea, Buca & Rabi

Of course, during emergencies, the vessels used for inter-islands operations will be requisitioned for emergency relief operations

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STORAGE:

INTRODUCTION: o There are clear storage / commodities management issues at all main entry points (Suva port, Nadi airport, Lautoka port and Nausori airport). o As emergency operations are likely to happen during the wet seasons, open storage is not an option except in containers

CURRENT SITUATION: o Some agencies (UN, NGOs) have their own storage capacities but cannot be shared due to volume limitations o Private companies (land transporters, FF & Shipping companies, sugar and garments factories, flour mills) have storage capacities that may temporarily be used during the initial phases of emergency operations (first 72 hours, until a longer term solution is developed) o Governmental capacities exist in Nausori, Suva, and Lautoka, mainly belonging to Fiji’s Procurement Department (Nausori belong to Agro-projects department). Nevertheless, those capacities will be better used as a dispatching center rather than for storage purpose. o Main ports and airports mentioned above have limited storage and warehousing capacities

PLANNING o Locations have been identified in Suva, Nausori, Nadi and Lautoka for the setting up of a logistics hub. . In Suva, in FMF compound: 3 acres, GPS position: 18° 07'43.91"S and 178°26'05.97"E, the land is flood free but MSUs setup will require prior land raising . In Nausori, in the Nausori airport compound, besides existing hangars, GPS position: 18° 02'49.67"S and 178°33'41.81"E, the land is flood free but MSUs setup will require prior land raising. Access from the airport’s back access road as the main road is often flooded . In Nadi, in the Nadi airport compound, besides existing maintenance hangar of Air Pacific, GPS position: 17°44'56.45"S and 177°27'2.68"E, the land is flood free but MSUs setup will require prior land raising. Access from Nadi and / or Lautoka to the airport is sometimes flooded. . In Lautoka, sport fields exist near the port facilities that could be used for MSU’s park setup. The pre- identified area is directly adjoining the Procurement Office and LTA compounds; however, it is not secured or fenced. GPS position: 17°36'53.96"S and 177°26'40.29"E, the land is flood free but MSUs setup will require prior land rising. o Each district should identify temporary storage facilities (governmental buildings, schools, private companies …) or select floods safe areas for the setting up of tents. o For large scale scenarios, MSUs (Wiik / Rubber Halls) will probably be the only option. Fiji government / UN agencies / donors should assess this option. o Logistics Hubs kits have been developed by WFP. Those kits include a MSU + Prefab office + power generation and lightning equipment. If financial means are available, 2 or 3 kits could be bought for Fiji operations and stored under Fiji Procurement responsibility in the country’s main operational hubs (Suva, Nadi, and Lautoka). Deployment could be anywhere as transportation of the kits is easy.

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DISPATCHING:

CURRENT SITUATION: o Usually, during Emergency Response operations, Fiji authorities are used to set up a dispatching center; all the commodities transiting through the dispatching center before being sent to distribution areas. o As all operations in remote locations / outer islands will require repackaging and transshipment operations, this need to be considered when designing the initial Concept of Operations (an additional hangar, linked to the dispatching centre, need to be specifically designated to this purpose).

PLANNING & IMPROVEMENT: o During emergencies, the Customs Clearance coordination cell, composed by representatives from FIRCA, Fiji Procurement Office and CC companies should be operating from the dispatching center o During emergencies, the dispatching center should be operated by / with the support of private companies bringing their professional experience for dispatching operations and commodities tracking.

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