Fiji is moving ahead with plans for a shipbuilding and ship repair facility in Lautoka, on the western side of its main island, Viti Levu. According to a report carried by PINA on October 15, 2026, Cabinet has endorsed a feasibility study that puts capital costs at FJD$792 million (US$396 million). Lautoka was chosen for its existing port infrastructure and available land.
The study projects FJD$2.7 billion (US$1.35 billion) in revenue against FJD$2.4 billion (US$1.2 billion) in operating costs over 30 years. It recommends a public-private partnership to bring in private financing and expertise and limit the government’s financial exposure. It also recommends a phased approach, starting with ship repair and expanding into shipbuilding as the local workforce gains skills (PINA).
Australia is backing the next phase with technical, legal and financial support for procurement, and the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) is expected to help structure the deal and identify a private partner. The longer-term aim is to make Fiji a regional center for shipbuilding, vessel repair and maritime services across the Pacific (PINA).
Cabinet has also endorsed the Fiji Maritime Security Strategy 2026–2035, which sets up an integrated national maritime security system. More than 96% of Fiji’s trade moves by sea. The strategy identifies threats including transnational crime, illegal fishing, sovereignty challenges, climate and environmental risks, cyber threats and weaknesses in maritime infrastructure and institutional coordination. It rests on seven pillars: governance, intelligence sharing, coordinated operations, infrastructure resilience, environmental security, cyber resilience and regional cooperation. A new Maritime Senior Officials Committee will oversee implementation in three phases, all subject to annual budgeting (PINA).
The decisions build on a broader deepening of Australia-Fiji security ties. That includes the Ocean of Peace Treaty signed in July and Australia’s transfer of Bluebottle uncrewed surface vessels to Fiji’s military (The Canberra Times).
The significance lies in sustainment. Patrol boats, drones and surveillance are only as useful as the ability to maintain them close to where they operate. A repair yard in Lautoka would give Fiji, and potentially partner navies and coast guards, a maintenance base in the central Pacific, rather than relying on distant facilities in Australia or Asia. Australian financing through the AIFFP also offers an alternative to Chinese-funded port infrastructure in the region.
The caution is in the numbers. The projected margin over 30 years is thin, the project depends on attracting a private partner, and the security strategy relies on existing structures and annual appropriations. Both are frameworks for now. Their value will depend on sustained funding and a steady stream of regional repair work.
Source: Editor, “Fiji advances plans for $792 million shipbuilding and repair facility in Lautoka,” PINA (PACNEWS/Fiji Government), October 15, 2026.