Key Takeaways
- The New Zealand government has paid $10 million tala (approximately $NZ6m) in compensation to Samoa for the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui off the south coast of Upolu in 2024.
- The compensation amount has been questioned by experts, with some considering it a "first down payment" and others noting that it may not be enough to cover the ongoing damage caused by the wreck.
- The Samoa government has agreed not to seek further compensation from New Zealand, despite concerns that the country may have been shortchanged.
- The incident has raised questions about the liability of other parties involved and the potential for ongoing environmental damage.
Introduction to the Incident
The HMNZS Manawanui, a naval ship, sank off the south coast of Upolu in Samoa in late 2024 after running aground on a reef. The incident raised concerns about the potential environmental damage and the impact on local communities. The New Zealand government has since paid $10 million tala (approximately $NZ6m) in compensation to Samoa, which has been questioned by experts as potentially insufficient.
Compensation and Liability
The compensation amount was proposed by Samoa’s Foreign Affairs Ministry and signed off by the then-Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa. However, experts such as Auckland University of Technology law professor Paul Myburgh have questioned whether this amount is sufficient, considering the ongoing damage caused by the wreck. Myburgh noted that it is difficult to assess and cap the damages because they tend to be ongoing, and any attempt to do so may mean that somebody along the line is going to be short-changed.
Expert Opinions
Senior lecturer and Pacific Security Fellow at Victoria University’s Centre for Strategic Studies, Dr Iati Iati, was surprised by the compensation figure, citing a study done by Massey University on the Rena disaster, which estimated direct costs of around $46 million NZD. Iati noted that the Rena had sunk much further out at sea in comparison to the Manawanui, and the impact would have been different and probably less than what was experienced in Samoa. Paul Irving, an oil spill response scientist with 40 years of experience, considered the compensation amount of $6 million NZD to be relatively small, given that the estimate to remove the vessel from the area was around $75-100 million NZD.
Diplomatic Correspondence
The correspondence between Winston Peters and Fiamē Naomi Mata’afa has been described as diplomatic, rather than a formal letter of compensation or insurance. The letters reference the long-established and respectful bilateral relationship between New Zealand and Samoa, founded upon sovereign equality and governed by a spirit of close friendship. However, experts such as Iati have questioned whether this diplomatic approach has addressed all the issues arising from the sinking of the HMNZS Manawanui.
Ongoing Concerns
The incident has raised ongoing concerns about the potential environmental damage and the impact on local communities. The wreck of the HMNZS Manawanui is still on the reef, and it will continue to cause damage until it is removed. The New Zealand government has announced that it will work with Samoa to assess and address any environmental risks, but the details of this process are unclear. The Samoa government has agreed not to seek further compensation from New Zealand, despite concerns that the country may have been shortchanged. The incident has also raised questions about the liability of other parties involved and the potential for ongoing environmental damage.
