FIJI LOGISTICS PLANNING OVERVIEW Identified Gaps & proposed Solutions & Logistics Planning GLOBAL LOGISTICS CLUSTER – WFP PROGRAM FUNDED BY: 1 | P a g e A. LOGISTICS PLANNING OVERVIEW a. IDENTIFIED GAPS & PROPOSED SOLUTIONS Organizing emergency logistics operations for delivery and distribution may be a real challenge in Fiji 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 Nadi 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 / Lautoka) 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. 3 | P a g e 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 (Suva port, Nadi airport, Lautoka port and Nausori 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