The Kingdom of Tonga and The Metals Company’s (TMC) subsidiary Tonga Offshore Mining Ltd. (TOML) have signed a revised sponsorship agreement aimed at strengthening Tonga’s stake in the future development of seafloor mineral resources.
The new pact updates the terms of their 2021 agreement ensuring that Tongans will continue to receive financial benefits, training, capacity-building and community programmes. It also provides for “continuity benefits” once commercial production begins whether by TOML or another TMC subsidiary.
Tonga’s Minister for Lands, Survey, Planning and Natural Resources Dr. ‘Uhila Moe Langi Fasi said the agreement signalled TOML’s willingness to deepen its commitments.
“It marks an important step toward ensuring that seabed minerals activities contribute meaningfully to Tonga’s long-term development goals — with transparency, fairness and environmental care at the core,” he said.
Tonga was among the first developing states to apply for a marine mineral exploration contract, taking a prominent role in advancing the rights of small island nations in the deep-sea minerals industry.
However, both Tonga and TMC have expressed frustration at the International Seabed Authority’s (ISA) failure to adopt exploitation regulations — known as the Mining Code — despite being required to do so by 2023 and pledging to complete it by 2025. The delays, they say, have hindered TOML’s ability to proceed with its planned commercial application in its contract area.
Gerard Barron, TMC chairman and chief executive, praised Tonga’s “instrumental leadership” in advocating for the responsible development of deep-sea minerals.
“We are proud to renew our partnership at this exciting moment as Tonga helps re-shape the way the world produces the key resources underpinning economic and global development,” he said. “Together we are determined to ensure that Tonga receives lasting transparent benefits for all Tongans.”
Tonga also acknowledged the regulatory certainty provided by the existing US seabed mining code under the Deep Seabed Hard Mineral Resources Act (DSHMRA) and a recent executive order by US President Trump which offers a stable framework for industry operations.
TMC, listed on Nasdaq, is developing what it describes as the world’s largest undeveloped resource of critical metals essential for energy, defence, manufacturing and infrastructure.
Through its subsidiaries it holds exploration rights in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean sponsored by Tonga and the Republic of Nauru.
