Introduction Tuvalu faces ongoing challenges sustaining its government-owned maritime fleet. Aging, prolonged maintenance, and service disruptions have weakened fleet reliability. Maritime transport is a lifeline for Tuvalu’s dispersed island communities. The government-owned passenger and cargo vessels Nivaga III and Manu Sina—the latter financed through Asian Development Bank’s Strengthening Domestic Shipping Project, with support from the Asian Development Fund—play a critical role in maintaining interisland connectivity. While the commissioning of Manu Sina in 2025 strengthened fleet capacity and reliability, older vessels continue to require significant upkeep in a harsh marine environment that accelerates deterioration. Limited technical capacity, a small population, high out-migration of skilled workers, and persistent weaknesses in asset registers, lifecycle planning, and the integration of maintenance needs into annual budgeting further constrain vessel maintenance and asset management. Climate-related pressures, including saltwater corrosion and more frequent extreme weather events, are further increasing maintenance requirements and lifecycle costs for vessels and port infrastructure. These challenges highlight the importance of strengthening asset management to safeguard the value and functionality of recent investments. Without a sustainable operation and maintenance (O&M) framework, the reliability of maritime services could deteriorate over time, increasing the risk of service disruptions for outer islands. Addressing these risks will require stronger institutional arrangements, dedicated funding mechanisms, improved planning and budgeting processes, and targeted capacity-building to support a more proactive approach to asset management. Investments in Maritime Resilience Tuvalu’s small land area, archipelagic geography, and widely dispersed outer islands, combined with its remoteness from major markets, makes the country heavily dependent on maritime transport for trade and access to essential goods and services.[1] With a population of 10,643 spread across nine islands (with 62% living on Funafuti), the Manu Sina—constructed and classed in accordance with ClassNK requirements and international maritime safety standards, and covered by internationally recognized insurance—is currently the most modern and reliable vessel in the government fleet and plays a critical role in maintaining essential connectivity. The government has prioritized maritime connectivity through major investments, including the introduction of the Manu Sina in 2025 as Tuvalu’s new flagship interisland vessel, undertaking port upgrades in Funafuti and the outer islands, engaging consultants and development partners to strengthen O&M systems, and embedding preventive maintenance practices, along with building the technical capacity of crew and ministry staff. Together, these investments aim to improve the reliability, safety and climate-resilience of interisland transport services. Priority Actions Looking ahead, sustaining recent maritime investments will require stronger asset management systems, reliable O&M financing, and measures to address persistent capacity constraints. Options for consideration include establishing dedicated financing arrangements for maritime O&M, addressing skills shortages through targeted training and retention measures (such as bonded scholarships for crew certification), and expanding community-based monitoring of outer-island maritime infrastructure through traditional kaupule (local government council) structures. Development partners could help support these efforts through financing, technical assistance, and access to specialized maritime services. Experience from recent infrastructure programs in Tuvalu demonstrates that the long-term value of public investments depends as much on maintenance and asset management as on the initial capital outlay. Predictable, ring‑fenced funding; stronger links between asset condition, climate risk, and budget allocations; and sustained investment in capacity development will be critical to preserving maritime assets and maintaining reliable interisland connectivity. Note: This article is derived from the Asian Development Outlook April 2026: The Middle East Conflict Challenges Resilience in Asia and the Pacific. [1] Asian Development Bank. 2022. Report and Recommendation of the President to the Board of Directors: Strengthening Domestic Shipping Project in Tuvalu. Resources Asian Development Bank. Tuvalu: Operation and Maintenance for Transport Investments. Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility. Tuvalu Infrastructure Asset Management. World Bank. 2024. Maritime Investment for Climate Resilient Operations. Updated Environmental and Social Management Plan for Funafuti Port. Ask the Experts Tu'i Sikivou Programs Officer, Pacific Department, Asian Development Bank Tu'i Sikivou works at ADB’s Pacific Subregional Office in Suva, Fiji. With over a decade of experience in macroeconomic management, his portfolio covers Fiji and Tuvalu. Prior to joining ADB, Tui worked at Fiji's Ministry of Finance and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where he was based in Suva. Leave your question or comment in the section below: View the discussion thread.