LocationsStory written by Mathilde Casper, Gender Specialist at UNDP Samoa
“We’re Stuck In”: Samoan and New Zealand Boat Builders Join Forces to Build Samoa's First Electric Fleet
November 18, 2025
New Zealander and Samoan boat builders standing in front of an electric alia
Photo: UNDP Samoa/Vladimir Kalinski
Samoan and New Zealander boat builders is working together to construct Samoa’s first-ever electric boat fleet - one of the pioneering electric alia projects in the Pacific.
An alia is the Samoan version of the traditional Polynesian double-hulled sailing watercraft, a vessel designed for the rough ocean waters of the Pacific, historically used for fishing, transport, and even warfare.
In Samoa, two communities continue to rely heavily on their alias and their contributions to the “blue economy”. On Manono Island - one of Samoa’s four inhabited islands and home to more than 800 people - alias remain the main connection of its four villages to the mainland. The boats serve as lifelines for livelihoods, food, education, and healthcare. On the south-eastern coast of Upolu, the village of Mutiatele uses the vessels to ferry visitors to a nearby uninhabited island, which supports a small community tourism enterprise and provides income to local workers.
Electric alia navigating between the Samoa islands
Photo: Henrik Richter-Alten
Now, these vessels are getting a sustainable upgrade. The new fleet of electric alias will drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels, marking a major step towards greener transport in Samoa.
This initiative is part of the Pacific Green Transformation Project, funded by the Government of Japan and implemented by UNDP. The project supports Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Timor-Leste, and Vanuatu on their decarbonization journeys. In Samoa, the focus is on the transport sector - the country’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Alongside land transport, the project focuses on maritime transport, a particularly important sector in small island contexts. By introducing electric boats, the project aims to reduce dependence on costly fossil fuel imports, while mitigating air and marine pollution and improving public health.
Capacity-building at the core
At the heart of this initiative is enhancing the skills of Samoan boat builders. These electric alias are the first of their kind in Samoa, and a green milestone for the Pacific.
New Zealand-based McKay, a company experienced in marine, electrical and renewable technology, is leading the technical build in partnership with the local Henry Silva Shipyard. Beyond construction, McKay’s mission is to train Samoan boat builders, ensuring that the knowledge and maintenance expertise stay in-country after the project ends.
For the Henry Silva Shipyard, this is the first time building electric vessels - a hands-on learning opportunity to expand their expertise in sustainable maritime technologies. Teams from the two companies worked side by side for over three months to assemble the boats, piecing together each component like a complex puzzle.
Fabricators working on the construction of an electric alia at the Henry Silva Shipyard
Photo: UNDP Samoa/Mathilde Casper
Ashley, McKay’s engineering project manager, and one of the first women to serve as a marine engineering officer in the New Zealand Navy, reflected: “Tapping into local labour and bringing in our Samoan counterparts was one of the most meaningful parts of this project”.
Ernesto, a Samoan fabricator, previously specialized in steel, shared how transformative the training has been: “When we started the second boat, everything clicked. It has taught me to improve my planning skills and practice hands-on aluminum welding, which is very different from steel. Working as part of the team has also been inspiring in terms of work ethic.”
Mutual learning across the ocean
While McKay’s team brought technical expertise in electrical and fabrication systems, the exchange of knowledge quickly became a two-way street. Sam, the on-site electrical supervisor, said: “Working with our Samoan counterparts has been impressive. They’ve shown what you can achieve while being so remote, by adapting and problem-solving with limited resources and less access to high-end equipment. We learned how to be more resourceful ourselves. Some consumables proved hard to find – wire, gas – and we needed more planning to source them in advance. We’re operating with what we’ve got. We’re stuck in.”
Samoan and New Zealander team members working on the project’s boat building
Photo: UNDP Samoa/Amanda Acosta Owens
Scott, the leading fabricator, recalls a memorable challenge: “We spent the first day offloading the material from the containers to start putting the boat together. The next month, our teams had to flip the boat without a gantry which was tough, but our Samoan colleagues showed us ways to get it done safely.”
“The two cultures of New Zealand and Samoa have many similarities in values, and working with our local partner in Samoa where they are truly in the element has been a great experience. During the delivery of the first boat from Sea Trials in Manono to Namu’a, it was impressive to see how they navigated the lagoon and narrow reef channels with ease, showing their knowledge of the waters and their ability to handle these boats in tight and shallow confines that would give me pause,” Ashley added.
Building a sustainable future for Samoan boatmaking
This collaboration goes beyond the immediate build; it’s setting a new course for sustainable boatmaking in Samoa and the uptake of renewable energy. Marie-Theresse, project manager at Henry Silva Shipyard said, “Renewable energy in Samoa is often misunderstood. Introducing this technology through something tangible - like boats people use every day - helps change that perception. It’s been an eye-opener for us to integrate sustainability into our construction process.”
Alongside their environmental benefits, these vessels combine robust architecture with low-maintenance simplicity. Designed for the realities of the South Pacific context and the “Ring of Fire” where Samoa sits - an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes, volcanoes, and extreme weather events are common - their structure is made to handle cyclonic weather, which will be increasingly intense and frequent due to the impacts of climate change. Meanwhile, the operations and maintenance of electric alias are more straightforward than their fuel-powered versions, which limits the needs for heavy maintenance in a remote setting with fewer resources, equipment and specialized workforce.
With sustainability as a key programming driver, UNDP has also put in place a maintenance and technical support plan beyond the project’s duration. McKay and the Henry Silva Shipyard will provide troubleshooting and maintenance support for two years after the boats are finalized. Reflecting on lessons learned, the teams are looking ahead: expanding local infrastructure, broadening training to include local electricians and technicians, and scaling impact.
The first electric alias are now operating from Manono Island and Namu’a, marking the start of a new era of clean, community-driven transport for Samoa.
