BUTARITARI, October 10, 2026 (BPA NEWS) — Kiribati’s northern island of Butaritari is hosting the 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Central Pacific Shipping Commission (CPSC) for the first time.

Representatives from CPSC member countries arrived on the island today on four chartered flights from Tarawa to attend the annual meeting, which was officially opened by CPSC Chair and Butaritari MP Alexander Teabo at the Butaritari Island Council compound in Temanokunuea.

Established in 2010, the CPSC aims to coordinate, regulate and improve international commercial shipping services for Small Island Developing States in the Central Pacific, particularly Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Nauru, Tuvalu, and Wallis and Futuna.

Kiribati Director of Marine Ruoikabuti Tion told BPA News that the commission was established to address recurring cargo shortages in member countries, which struggled to import goods because of their limited purchasing power.

“Cargo shortage in these countries was a major issue in those days because they have little buying power to import,” he said.

Tion explained that shipping companies sometimes prioritised larger Pacific countries over smaller island nations, leaving cargoes destined for CPSC members unloaded at intermediate ports.

“In those days, if Kiribati cargoes from Australia went through Fiji, they could be offloaded in Fiji by shipping companies to serve and prioritise bigger Pacific countries, and that’s one of the main causes of cargo shortages in member countries in those days,” he said.

The commission was established through cooperation among transport ministers from the five member countries, who shared similar challenges in securing reliable shipping services.

Between 2010 and 2013, transport ministers, secretaries, maritime directors and chief executive officers from the member countries worked to establish goals and objectives aimed at ensuring regular and reliable shipping services at affordable freight rates while maintaining controlled competition.

Shipping companies seeking to serve CPSC member countries are also expected to provide balanced route coverage, including services to both profitable and less-profitable routes and remote island ports.

Tion said the establishment of the commission and the continued efforts of member countries had helped address cargo shortages in Kiribati.

“We are happy that the shortage of cargoes in Kiribati is no longer a problem, and this is the result of the hard work and dedication of transport ministers from these countries through the establishment of the CPSC,” he said.

The 12th AGM provides an opportunity for member countries to continue working together to strengthen shipping services and improve the reliability of cargo supplies across the Central Pacific.

Shipping companies currently serving CPSC member countries include SWIRE, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), KYOWA Shipping Company Ltd, Neptune Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) and Matson.

Tewea ana Bwabwaro CPSC i Butaritari n te Moan Tai

BUTARITARI, October 10, 2026 (BPA NEWS) — E waaki ngkai aban Kiribati mai meang ae Butaritari n rungaa ana ka-12 ni bwabwaro aia Komete Aban te Betebeke Nuuka ae te Central Pacific Shipping Commission (CPSC) n te moan tai.

A toko waeia taan tei man aban te CPSC iaon te abamwakoro aio n te bong aei ni baoia awaa wanikiba aika a tiaatanaki mai Tarawa ibukin irakin te bwabwaro aio, are e kaukaki iroun te Tia Babaire n te CPSC ao te Tia Tei mai Butaritari ae Alexander Teabo n ana kambwaun te Kauntira ni Butaritari i Temanokunuea.

E kateaki te CPSC n 2010 ma kataneana bwa e na katamaroa butin ao karaaian kaako n aban te Betebeke i Nuukan te Betebeke n aron Kiribati, Mwatiare, Nauru, Tuvalu ao Wallis and Futuna.

E taku te Tarekita n te Mwariin i Kiribati ae Ruoikabuti Tion nakon BPA News bwa e kateaki te komitin aio ibukin tobwaan te kanganga iaon tataren kaako irouia aaba ake a kaaina te rabwata aio, ake a rangi ni memeere aia konabwai ke korakoraia n ootanii kaako mai tinaniku.

“Tataren kaako bon te kanganga ae e bubura n taai akekei n aaba aikai ibukina bwa e memeere korakoraia ni kao kaako,” e taku teuaei.

E kabwarabwara Ruoikabuti bwa n taai tabetai ao a manga takakaro buaka kambwana ni kaibuke ni kamoanibwaia riki aaba ake a bubura nakoia ake a uarereke n te aro are a kona ni karuoaki aia kaako kain te CPSC n aaba tabeua ao ni karika rimwiin rokon kaibuke.

“N taai akekei, ao ngkana a roko kaakoon Kiribati mai Aotiteria rinanon Biiti, ao a kona n ae a karuoaki naba i Biiti irouia kambwana ni kambwana ni kaibuke ake a uotii ao ni manga tobwai ao ni kamoanibwai moa karokoan aia kaako aaba ake a bubura, ao aei teuana oin ririkin tataren kaako irouia aban te CPSC n taai akekei,” e taku teuaei.

E kateaki te rabwata ke te komitin aio rinanon aia ikarekebai minita n te mwamwananga man nimaua aaba ake a kaaina te Komitin aio, ake a bane n titebo aia kanganga iaon aki tobwaakin aia kanganga n rorokon aia kaako irouia kambwana ni kaibuke.

Imarenan 2010 ao 2013, a baireia minita n te mwamwananga, taan kororoki, tarekita n te mwariin ao mataniwin matabaiawa man aaba ake a kaaina te rabwata aio bwa e na kateaki te rabwata aei ma ana boto n iango bwa e na kateimatoa karaaian kaako ao rorokon kaibuke ni kaako n te boo ae e materaoi ao n akea te kaiangatoa.

A kantaningaki naba kambwana ni kaibuke ake a kan tobwaia aban te CPSC bwa a na kabaeranta mwamwanangaia ke aia tieweti nakon aaba aika a uarereke ao n tionako e ngae ngke a na karekemwane iai ke a aki.

E taku Ruoikabuti bwa e a tia kateakin te rabwata ke te komitin aio ao teimatoan aia mwakuri korakora kaaina ke members ni buoka aki tataren te kaako iaon Kiribati.

“TI rangi ngkai ai tiaaki te kanganga tataren te kaako iaon Kiribati ao e riki aei man aia mwakuri korakora minita n te mwamwananga man aaba aikai rinanon kateakin te CPSC,” e taku teuaei.

Te ka-12 ni bwabwaro aio bon aia tai aaba ake a kaaina te CPSC ni kateimatoa aia ikarekebai ni mwakuri ibukin kakorakoraan ao katamaron rorokon kaibuke ao kaako mai tinaniku ni kabutaa aban te Betebeke Nuuka.

Kambwana ni kaibuke ake a totomaia ngkai aban te CPSC bon te SWIRE, Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK), KYOWA Shipping Company Ltd, Neptune Pacific Direct Line (NPDL) and Matson.