Ocean of peace in a world at war

For regional peacekeeping duties, this vessel has good accommodation and meeting rooms, providing an ideal neutral zone for parties to discuss and resolve differences before they become irreconcilable.

For context, the Bougainville crisis (1988-1998) was brought to an end after a meeting of opposing sides on the visiting Christian mission ship "Doulos" at Bougainville wharf. The whole southwest Pacific region is predominantly Christian with its accompanying family values, and people who live happier, healthier and more content peaceful lives. After the Black Monday 1987 financial crisis I was with my wife Stephanie in a local market in Samoa, when she asked a local vendor the price of a coconut. "One Tala" (a Samoan dollar) the lady responded. My wife explained that there had been a financial stock market crisis with a 2 trillion-dollar loss, to which the smiling lady vendor replied "The coconut is still one Tala". We laughed.

Running a ship these days, has fuel as the highest cost component, the limiting criteria financially and operationally.

Another retired soldier, Dwight D Eisenhower, addressed the UN General Assembly on December 8^th 1953, almost exactly 71 years ago, with his "Atoms For Peace" speech, resulting in the US designing and building the nuclear passenger cargo "Savannah". This ship was capable of circumnavigating the globe 14 times at an impressive speed of 20 knots using only 22 kgs of uranium, the equivalent of a loaded suitcase.

Like computer technology, nuclear propulsion has become miniaturised, safer and more highly efficient in the last seven decades.

In Rabuka's bold style of a soldier, knowing the mission capability limitations caused by fuel, and that most military casualties are caused while "defending the supply lines", he has opened dialogue with producers of marine micro modular reactors (MMRS) which will allow this flexible Ocean of Peace vessel to respond rapidly in the whole region for 10 years without refuelling and with zero emissions.

Fiji's number one blockage against its prosperity is the $1 billion of imported diesel fuel. This is the same for most pacific islands. Even in emergency response, having a solid electrical energy supply is always a prime requirement for first responders. Alongside a home port for 365 nights a year, with the vessel's power system connected to the grid, this system will reduce the local fuel consumption by 5.26 million litres per annum along with a corresponding reduction in emissions.

Imagine if you will, just over 500 years ago, being Ferdinand Magellan on his diminutive 27m "The Trinity" (La Trinidad) designed for neither speed nor comfort, after battling strong winds and treacherous currents of the Magellan Strait you emerge to suddenly to find your little ship and crew in this Great Ocean where the sea was calm. This would inspire you as it did Magellan, to call it the Peaceful or Pacific Ocean!

Now the Pacific peacekeeper Rabuka with a vessel 3 times the size of Magellan's Trinity, with an unlimited range, is heading a bold initiative for serving the Pacific region in several ways that will leave him a substantial legacy.