The importance of keeping the maritime environment clean was a key message during the joint clean-up campaign organised by the Fiji Ports Corporation Limited (FPCL), Maritime Safety Authority of Fiji (MSAF) and FPCL subsidiary company, Fiji Ships and Heavy Industries Limited on June 16.

The massive clean-up campaign on land and out at sea was held in commemoration of World Oceans Day and World Environment Day celebrated on June 5 and June 8 respectively.

Our World Environment Day theme for this year is “Beat Plastic Pollution” while World Oceans Day focuses on preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean.

FPCL chief financial officer Roshan Abeyesundere said FPCL and MSAF play a significant role in protecting our maritime environment.

“Approximately, 90 per cent of our trade is through the maritime transport and of course the maritime sector is used by a lot of our travelling public locally so it is always important to keep our maritime environment clean at all times,” Mr Abeyesundere said.

He said FPCL’s coordination in this initiative is also driven by its Corporate Citizen Value and it was a way of giving back to the community.

Acting MSAF chief executive officer Captain Philip Hill said the clean-up campaign was also an opportunity to educate their children, friends and all others present on the need to protect our oceans and the environment.

“A lot of rubbish that is found out at sea is known as land waste, because these are rubbish not disposed of properly here on land and it washes out to sea,” Capt Hill said.

“So we would like to ask people to dispose of rubbish properly, so we do not pollute the ocean and the environment.”

The clean-up campaign started from Narain Jetty and ended at the Suva foreshore with a team focusing on cleaning up the Suva Harbour.