Niue Should be a Shiprider Partner

The United States partners with several Pacific Island nations through bilateral pacts known as shiprider agreements. These arrangements allow host-nation enforcement personnel to ride on U.S. Coast Guard vessels and some U.S. naval ships in the Pacific region.¹ The joint teams leverage the host nation’s authorities and the U.S. fleet’s strength to enforce maritime laws and protect natural resources and the environment. Establishing a shiprider agreement with Niue—a self-governing island nation in free association with New Zealand—could be a national security opportunity for the United States.

Shiprider Benefits

Host nations benefit from increased patrols to protect their economic claims, resource security, and maritime sovereignty within their exclusive economic zones (EEZs). Shiprider agreements are particularly valuable in combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, which is a significant issue in the Pacific region. According to one 2016 estimate, IUU tuna fishing costs Pacific nations more than $600 million per year.²

The United States benefits in three significant areas:

• It is permitted access to host-nation waters to conduct patrols and promote the free and open Indo-Pacific strategy.

• It is able to combat IUU fishing in expanded areas that historically account for a high percentage of worldwide fish populations.

• It establishes positive relationships with smaller Pacific Island nations for whom traditional military-to-military partnerships are less possible because of their limited military capability.

Why Niue?

The Niue EEZ is 390,000 square kilometers, 40 percent of which has been declared a marine protected area (MPA). The Niue Moana Mahu Marine Protected Area includes the island’s coastal waters and nearby Beveridge Reef, an uninhabited, semisubmerged atoll that is home to the world’s highest density of grey reef sharks.³ Niue is dedicated to reducing fishing within its EEZ as part of an effort to counteract overexploited fish stocks and increasing pollution in the ocean environment. This requires the MPA to be enforceable and sustainable.

The Niue National Police Force is the island’s sole law enforcement and security organization and is responsible for marine enforcement on Niue waters.

A shiprider agreement would be a substantial force multiplier in the region to assist with marine conservation.

The U.S. Coast Guard already operates in the proximity of the Niue EEZ, so supporting a bilateral shiprider agreement is geographically possible. Under existing shiprider agreements, the Coast Guard patrols within the EEZs of Tonga and the Cook Islands to the east and west and American Samoa to the north. In addition, in October 2020, U.S. National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien announced plans for a feasibility study on basing Sentinel-class fast response cutters in American Samoa.⁴ These cutters have an operating range of 2,500 nautical miles and would put Niue well within patrol range.

Growing Chinese influence in the Pacific is another reason to explore a partnership with Niue. In 2018, Niue surprised New Zealand by signing an agreement to be part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Since then, China has offered close to $15 million to upgrade a roadway around the island and to renovate some ports and wharfs.⁴ New Zealand shares U.S. concerns with China’s involvement in Niue. The potential for increased Chinese fishing fleet presence may further justify establishing a ship-rider agreement to ensure enforcement of IUU fishing laws and environmental protection.

Niue offers an opportunity for the United States to establish a partnership where none previously has existed and to promote U.S. interests in the region.