Recommendation Report and Roadmap

Ocean Accounting for Maritime Transport, Solomon Islands Pilot

Global Ocean Accounts Partnership Secretariat

Centre for Sustainable Development Reform

University of New South Wales

Executive Summary

1. Policy Context & Strategic Drivers

Solomon Islands' maritime sector forms the critical infrastructure for the nation's economy, social connectivity, and regional integration. This strategic importance is now explicit across the government's integrated policy framework, where maritime modernisation, workforce development, and climate action are interlinked priorities. The Maritime Development & Resilience Strategy 2024–2030 calls for safe, resilient, green, clean, digital maritime transport addressing three imperatives: reliable inter-island connectivity supporting economic development; equitable transition to net-zero shipping by 2050; and employment creation for a youth population where 70 per cent are under 34. The Plan for a Sustainable Maritime Future operationalises this through targets for maritime emissions monitoring and management by 2030. The SIMA Corporate Plan 2024–2027 establishes maritime asset governance as central to national administration, with explicit objectives to maintain a modern vessel registry, implement safety standards, and establish baseline data systems to track decarbonisation progress.

These national commitments are reinforced by regional expectations. Solomon Islands' participation in the Pacific One-Maritime Framework creates expectations that member states develop comparable maritime datasets and governance infrastructure enabling peer benchmarking. The Sub-Regional Maritime Technical Cooperation Programme with Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu provides a platform for Solomon Islands to lead on maritime data governance; standardised ocean accounts create a demonstration model that other sub-regional partners can adapt. This convergence of national policy commitments and regional coordination expectations creates a strategic imperative for structured maritime data systems as the evidence infrastructure necessary to implement domestically articulated priorities whilst demonstrating institutional readiness to regional and development partners.

However, translating these commitments into operational reality requires more than policy intention. The Government's maritime priorities including, fleet modernisation, workforce development, decarbonisation, and safety, all depend on quantified baseline data on fleet condition, employment patterns, and operational characteristics. Similarly, regional participation and climate finance access require credible, standardised maritime data systems that demonstrate institutional governance capacity. Current maritime data exists in fragmented form across SIMA registries, operational records, and sector actors, but lacks integration into coherent frameworks suitable for policy analysis, regional reporting, or development partner engagement. Ocean accounts, structured according to internationally recognised standards, provide the institutional mechanism to address this gap by integrating fragmented maritime data into standardised, comparable frameworks that simultaneously serve national planning needs and regional reporting obligations.

2. Implementing Ocean Accounts

Ocean accounts provide a structured, internationally recognised approach to organise maritime data into integrated frameworks that serve multiple, mutually reinforcing purposes. Rather than maintaining separate registries and operational records, ocean accounts apply consistent accounting methodologies—aligned with the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA) and System of National Accounts (SNA)—to create comprehensive records that simultaneously support national planning, regional reporting, and development partner engagement. For Solomon Islands' maritime sector, this means translating fragmented vessel registries, crew employment records, operational logs, and maintenance histories into a coherent evidence base that reveals the interconnections between fleet condition, safety requirements, workforce implications, and investment needs. It means positioning national maritime data within international statistical frameworks that enable regional benchmarking and credible participation in global ocean governance. It means demonstrating to development partners and climate finance institutions that the Solomon Islands has invested in the governance infrastructure necessary to track maritime assets and manage investments with transparency and accountability.

The specific benefits that ocean accounts deliver for Solomon Islands include:

3. Pilot Summary

In recognition of the policy imperatives and strategic benefits outlined above, the Pacific Community (SPC) supported the development of a pilot ocean account for Solomon Islands' maritime transport sector. The Global Ocean Accounts Partnership (GOAP) Secretariat at UNSW's Centre for Sustainable Development Reform conducted this work in partnership with the Solomon Islands Maritime Authority (SIMA), establishing two foundational accounts that provide the first standardised, internationally comparable evidence base for maritime sector planning and monitoring.

National Shipping Asset Account: Using Depreciated Replacement Cost (DRC) methodology aligned with SNA 2025 standards, the pilot quantified Solomon Islands' commercial maritime fleet capital stock at $29.69 million for 2024 and USD $30 million for 2025, with corresponding replacement costs of approximately USD $90 million (2024) and USD $93 million (2025). The net capital stock represents approximately 1.87 per cent of national GDP (2024) and 1.84 per cent of GDP (2025),underscoring the capital intensity critical to this archipelagic nation where maritime transport is foundational to economic connectivity and service delivery. The fleet comprises 242 vessels (2024) and 247 vessels (2025) with complete valuation data, reflecting the diversity of commercial shipping serving inter-island routes, provincial operations, and regional services. The fleet demonstrates an average age of approximately 25 years (2024) to 26 years (2025) and total Gross Registered Tonnage of 104,636 GT (2024) and 106,599 GT (2025), establishing the physical baseline necessary for fleet modernisation planning.

Maritime Labour Account: Employment estimation indicates a mid-range maritime workforce of 1,719 persons, with total annual compensation estimated at SBD 267.3 million (approximately USD $32 million), representing approximately 1.98 per cent of GDP under the mid scenario, that represents approximately 2.6 per cent of GDP. The account reveals clear wage hierarchies aligned with maritime certification levels, with Class 2 Masters earning average fortnightly wages of SBD $15,693 whilst deckhands earn approximately SBD $930. This wage structure reflects skills-based labour market differentiation and provides a quantified baseline for understanding employment opportunity, training investment justification, and the economic contribution of maritime employment to national income.

These Phase 1 accounts establish critical baselines and demonstrate the feasibility of ocean accounting for Solomon Islands' maritime sector. However, the compressed timeframe of the pilot and data constraints inherent in the current state of maritime information systems mean that both accounts contain limitations and areas requiring further refinement. The foundation established through Phase 1 creates the platform upon which further comprehensive accounts can be developed.

A. Implementation Challenges and Findings

The Phase 1 pilot successfully established baseline ocean accounts for Solomon Islands' maritime sector. However, the implementation process revealed significant challenges across five critical domains: data quality and coverage, data governance and coordination, institutional capacity, dashboard functionality, and government integration.

Data Coverage and Quality

Phase 1 revealed multiple data quality challenges constraining account robustness. Vessel information captured through eGates is largely complete: in 2024, 247 of 249 domestic vessels (99.2%) have complete vessel information. Remaining gaps are concentrated in specific attributes (for example, construction year/age for a small subset) and can be resolved through targeted validation with operators. Employment and crew data remain fragmented across operators with no standardised crew-to-vessel linkage format. Fuel consumption data proved inaccessible due to absent data-sharing protocols. Operational intensity data (voyage frequency, utilisation patterns) are not systematically recorded, meaning depreciation calculations assume uniform usage across a heterogeneous fleet. Maritime training data are scattered across institutions without standardised collection formats.

Data Sharing and Coordination

Currently, data partners share information only when requested, without formal agreements or standardised procedures. SIMA made repeated ad hoc requests to individual operators for data without established obligations, creating administrative friction. Operators, particularly smaller operations and those in extractive sectors may perceive requests as a burden with unclear benefit, delaying responses and reducing data completeness. Maritime colleges operate independently with no common data collection protocols. This ad hoc approach created fragmentation across data sources with inconsistent quality and format. The approach is unsustainable if repeated annually as accounts become institutionalised. Key data-holding stakeholders that require formal engagement include Solomon Islands Ports Authority (SIPA) for port movement and cargo data, Solomon Islands Maritime Transport Association (SIMTA) for operator-level vessel and employment information, Solomon Islands National Statistics Office (SINSO) for integration with national accounts, and fuel suppliers for consumption data essential to emissions baseline establishment.

Institutional Capacity

Data management responsibilities are dispersed across multiple SIMA staff with unclear accountability. The Embedded Capacity Officer handled Phase 1 data coordination, but no permanent institutional position exists for ongoing data governance and account maintenance. SIMA's IT infrastructure is fragmented: vessel registry, eGate position reporting, and employment records do not communicate. Data protocols and procedures are not formally documented; operational knowledge exists primarily in individual staff members rather than accessible institutional procedures. To our knowledge, neither recurrent budget nor responsibilities have been allocated for account maintenance beyond Phase 1 project funding.

Dashboard Development and Sustainability

The Phase 1 dashboard may have limited policy utility due to incomplete realisation of design potential. Initial expectations for real-time vessel tracking proved difficult due to incomplete AIS/position reporting infrastructure. The current manual data entry and sporadic updates may create a maintenance burden. Current functionality is basic (port location, port heat) as more sophisticated analysis (efficiency metrics, scenario modelling) requires additional data integration and analytical capability not yet implemented. There is an unclear responsibility for ongoing maintenance. Further information regarding the future utilisation and the infrastructure required to ensure functionality are required.

Connecting Accounts to Government Priorities

Phase 1 accounts exist as standalone technical products within SIMA but have not been formally integrated into government systems. National accounts compiled by Solomon Islands National Statistics Office do not incorporate maritime employment or asset data. Government budget processes do not consider account data when allocating maritime sector resources. Without formal integration into government planning cycles, accounts remain technical exercises rather than policy tools.

4 Pathways Forward

The Phase 1 pilot has established a methodological foundation and delivered baseline accounts for Solomon Islands' maritime transport sector. Compressed timelines and data constraints inevitably created gaps that future iterations could address. Core vessel information in eGates is near-complete (2024 example: 247 of 249 domestic vessels have complete vessel information); remaining work is targeted validation of the small number of incomplete records. Employment records remain fragmented across operators with no standardised crew format; fuel consumption data were not accessed due to absent data-sharing protocols; and coverage of smaller commercial craft below 15 metres remains incomplete. These limitations signal potential areas for refinement in subsequent phases.

Strengthening the Current Maritime Accounts

Future iterations of the account could build on Phase 1 foundations by addressing data gaps and methodological refinements that would enhance the robustness and policy utility of the shipping asset and workforce accounts.

Institutionalising Accounts for Policy Use and Sustained Operation

For accounts to transition from technical products to embedded governance tools, several institutional and policy integration steps could be explored:

Expanding Account Scope

The Phase 1 maritime shipping account establishes foundations upon which broader ocean accounting could be developed. Future iterations could expand to capture a fuller picture of ocean-dependent economic activity and the environmental assets upon which it depends. Four complementary accounts could be developed in subsequent phases.

Maritime Supply Chain and Infrastructure: Within the maritime sector, accounts could expand to capture economic and sectoral dependencies. Supply chain mapping and sectoral dependency analysis would integrate port manifest data, cargo classification, and economic input-output analysis to understand which sectors (agriculture, fisheries, mining, retail) rely most heavily on maritime connectivity and which regions face service gaps. Port infrastructure accounts would measure facility assets, estimate capital stock and maintenance condition, and link performance metrics to infrastructure investment requirements. These expansions would deepen understanding of maritime connectivity as the foundational infrastructure linking Solomon Islands' economy.

Fisheries: Measure fish stocks as environmental assets and track the flows of fish from natural stocks into the economy. Using the SEEA-CF approach, the account would measure aquatic resources as environmental assets, recording opening and closing stocks and the flows of fish harvested and entering economic activity. This would establish the relationship between the physical extent and condition of fish stocks (measured through fisheries-dependent variables such as catch per unit effort, size distribution, and species composition) and the economic flows they generate (fishing revenue, value-added, employment).

Tourism: Link tourism economic activity to the ecosystems and resources it depends on and impacts. The account would calculate the tourism industry ratio—the proportion of total resource consumption (water, energy, waste generation) attributable to tourism activities—by linking tourism satellite accounts with sectoral SEEA-CF resource accounts. This enables estimation of tourism-specific resource use and waste generation that would otherwise be hidden within broader economic sectors. The account would also measure the extent and condition of ecosystem assets critical to tourism (coral reefs, beaches, mangroves) using ecosystem accounting methodology, establishing the physical relationship between ecosystem quality and the economic viability of tourism activities.

Ecosystem: Measure coastal and nearshore marine ecosystems as assets. The account would record the extent of key ecosystem types (mangroves, coral reefs, seagrass meadows) in physical units, track changes in extent over time through time-series analysis, and measure ecosystem conditions such as biodiversity, water quality, and other structural metrics. Following the SEEA-EEA approach, the account would then measure the services these ecosystems provide—provisioning services (fish production), regulating services (coastal protection, nutrient cycling, waste remediation, carbon sequestration), and cultural services (recreation, spiritual values)—and trace the relationship between ecosystem condition and the supply of these services.

5. Implementation Framework

Transitioning ocean accounts from pilot demonstration to sustained, nationally owned governance tool requires clarity about implementation pathways and resource needs. Government and development partners must understand what is required to maintain current maritime accounts, what additional steps would be needed to embed them into national planning systems, and what longer-term expansion might entail.

Phased Implementation Pathway

Ocean accounts should evolve through a phased approach reflecting the progressive deepening of data coverage, methodological refinement, and institutional embedding:

This phased approach allows learning-by-doing, builds institutional capability incrementally, and ensures accounts remain responsive to government priorities rather than pursuing expansion for its own sake.

Base Requirements for Sustaining Current Maritime Accounts

To maintain and update the Phase 1 maritime shipping and workforce accounts on an ongoing basis, the following elements are necessary:

Implementation Steps for National Integration of Ocean Accounts

If Solomon Islands government decides to embed ocean accounts into national governance systems—integrating them into policy planning cycles, official national statistics, and development planning—the following implementation steps would strengthen institutional capacity and policy impact:

Step 1: Define Institutional Leadership and Coordination

Clear assignment of roles ensures accountability and prevents responsibility gaps. This involves identifying which agency leads account coordination, how inter-agency data-sharing will function, which government body provides oversight or governance, and how coordination with the Solomon Islands National Statistics Office will occur if accounts are incorporated into official national accounts. International practice suggests that national statistical offices typically lead compilation of official statistics (including ocean accounts), supported by strong partnerships with data custodians in line agencies. The optimal institutional arrangement depends on Solomon Islands' preferences and existing government structures.

Step 2: Integrate Accounts into Government Planning Cycles

Accounts will remain technical exercises unless explicitly linked to policy decisions. This means ensuring the relevant strategies and plans and national budget cycle reference account data in setting targets and allocating resources. Regular government consultations should ask stakeholders what data and analysis would support their decisions, creating feedback loops where accounts evolve in response to actual policy needs rather than remaining static.

Step 3: Establish Regular Engagement with Data Partners

Sustained accounts require ongoing relationship management with data holders. Coordination mechanisms could include periodic partner meetings, formal data governance committees, or regular bilateral engagement with key data custodians. The mechanism should ensure data partners understand they are contributing to ongoing government statistical products with clear value, rather than responding to one-time requests.

Step 4: Build Capacity for Data Quality and Statistical Standards

As accounts transition from pilot to routine operation, attention to statistical rigour and data quality assurance becomes increasingly important. This includes implementing documented quality checks, validation procedures, and metadata standards aligned with international statistical practice. Training for core staff and partner agency staff in account methodologies, data systems, and quality assurance procedures builds institutional capability.

Step 5: Explore Potential Account Expansion

If the government identifies additional thematic accounts as priorities, the foundations established through Phase 1 maritime accounts enable incremental expansion. Each expansion should follow the same phased approach: beginning with preliminary frameworks and feasibility assessment, then moving to data collection and account compilation only when institutional readiness and policy demand are clear.

Step 6: Secure Sustained Development Partner Support

Ocean accounting aligns with regional and international development priorities. Continuing engagement with the Pacific Community, development banks (Asian Development Bank, Green Climate Fund), and bilateral partners (Australia, New Zealand, Japan) can provide ongoing technical support, capacity building, and potentially co-financing for account development.

6. Conclusion

The Phase 1 pilot demonstrates that ocean accounting is technically feasible and strategically aligned with Solomon Islands' maritime policy imperatives. Using SEEA/SNA frameworks, the pilot successfully compiled accounts meeting international statistical standards and enabling regional benchmarking. More significantly, the accounts establish quantified baselines previously unavailable to government decision-makers: the maritime sector's capital stock at $29.69 million (1.87% of GDP), a maritime workforce of 1,719 persons generating annual compensation of SBD 267.3 million (1.98% of national income), , and vessel asset composition providing precise data for fleet modernisation planning. These figures provide the government with evidence-based foundations for maritime sector decision-making.

Implementation experience reveals, however, that account technical robustness and policy utility depend on addressing institutional constraints in maritime information systems. These constraints are addressable through deliberate investment in data governance, formalised data-sharing protocols, and standardised collection procedures. The Phase 2 pathway outlined above specifies how these institutional elements can be strengthened beyond what was feasible within Phase 1's compressed timeframe.

The implementation experience also illustrates that account sustainability depends not on technical account compilation methodology, but on institutionalisation within government statistical systems. Three foundational elements are essential: explicit designation of institutional roles with clear accountability for data governance and account maintenance; formalised data-sharing arrangements with fixed schedules and standardised data formats; and recurrent budget allocation for ongoing system administration.

The case for investing in these institutional elements is evidence-based and aligned with government priorities. Solomon Islands' maritime policy commitments—fleet modernisation, workforce development, decarbonisation, and safety—currently depend on fragmented maritime data that constrains integrated policy analysis. Ocean accounts integrate maritime datasets into coherent frameworks that enable the government to understand interconnections between fleet condition, employment implications, safety requirements, and investment needs. This integration supports more strategic resource allocation than treating maritime challenges as separate policy domains. The institutional resources required to maintain accounts are modest relative to the policy value they provide. Furthermore, sustained maritime accounts generate benefits extending beyond national planning: standardised maritime datasets strengthen development partner confidence in institutional governance capacity, enable meaningful regional peer benchmarking within the Pacific One-Maritime Framework, and establish credible baselines essential for accessing climate finance mechanisms that increasingly require recipient nations to demonstrate data governance infrastructure.

In practical terms, these accounts should inform decisions on whether port expansions at Honiara and Noro are matched by realistic fleet renewal scenarios, guide the design of subsidy and franchise mechanisms under the Franchise Shipping Scheme to cover total cost of ownership rather than short-term operating costs, and prioritise training investments at Solomon Islands Maritime College to address the identified shortage of Class 2/3 Masters and Engineers that could otherwise delay vessel deployment as the fleet modernises.