PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction and Commitment

Pelican Ferry is committed to safeguarding your privacy. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and disclose your personal information when you use our website, mobile application, or purchase tickets for our vessels (Pelican 1, Pelican 2, and Pelican 3).

We adhere to the principles of the Telecommunications Act 2009 and the Electronic Transactions Act 2010 of the Solomon Islands, and we are preparing to comply with the forthcoming Data Protection Bill once enacted.

2. Information We Collect

To provide you with ferry services and process bookings, we may collect the following information:

• Identification Data: Full name, date of birth (to verify child/age restrictions as required by maritime law), nationality, and passport/ID number (for international visitors).
• Contact Data: Billing address, email address, and phone numbers.
• Transaction Data: Details about your bookings, travel routes (e.g., Honiara to Malaula), cabin/vessel preferences, payment card details (processed securely via PCI-DSS compliant gateway, we do not store CVV codes), and the 3% service fee calculations.
• Technical Data: IP address, browser type, and browsing actions (see Cookie Policy).

3. Legal Basis for Processing (Compliance with Solomon Islands Law)

Under the proposed Solomon Islands Data Protection framework and existing Consumer Protection laws, we process your data based on the following grounds:

• Contractual Necessity: To process your ticket purchase, allocate seating, and manage cancellations (Electronic Transactions Act 2010).
• Legal Compliance: To comply with maritime safety regulations and age verification requirements under local transport laws.
• Legitimate Interests: To improve our fleet operations, prevent fraud, and ensure network security (Telecommunications Act 2009).

4. How We Use Your Information

Your data is used exclusively for the following purposes:

• Booking & Fulfillment: To confirm reservations, issue e-tickets, and provide customer support regarding schedule changes (e.g., the upcoming Pelican 3 service).
• Payment Processing: To calculate and collect the fare (including the revenue share for our technology partner).
• Service Communications: To send you important updates regarding sailing cancellations, delays, or safety alerts (essential for travel in Solomon Islands waters).
• Audit & Compliance: To allow our technical partner (Zhejiang Hengjiu Technology) to audit sales figures (as per our revenue-sharing agreement), ensuring the accuracy of the 3% service fee settlement.

5. Data Sharing and Third Parties (International Transfers)

We do not sell your personal data. However, to operate our online ticketing system, we share data with specific third parties under strict confidentiality:

• Technology Provider (China): Your booking data is processed by our system developer (Zhejiang Hengjiu Technology) to maintain the software and calculate sales reports. Note: This involves a transfer of data to China. We ensure that Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) are in place to protect your data.
• Payment Partners (UK/Global): Your payment details are shared with our payment gateway (e.g., PayPal) to authorize transactions.
• Legal Authorities (Solomon Islands): We may disclose information to the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force or Ministry of Commerce if required by law or to prevent fraud.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, accidental loss, or destruction. This includes:

• SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted on our website.
• Restricted access to physical servers and booking terminals.

In the event of a data breach, we will notify the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (as proposed under the new Bill) and affected individuals within 72 hours of detection.

7. Your Rights (Access, Rectification, Erasure)

Under the principles of the Solomon Islands legal framework, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the data we hold about you (a small administrative fee may apply).
• Right to Rectification: You can correct any inaccurate or incomplete information (such as a misspelled name on a ticket).
• Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): You can request deletion of your data when it is no longer necessary for legal or operational reasons.
• Right to Object: You can opt-out of marketing communications at any time.

To exercise these rights, please submit a written request to our Data Protection Officer. We will respond within 30 days as required by local standards.

8. Data Retention

We will retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. Generally, transaction data is retained for 7 years to comply with financial auditing requirements (specifically for reconciling the 3% service fee with our technology partner). Anonymized statistical data may be retained indefinitely for route planning.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are intended for general audiences. As per the legal age of majority in the Solomon Islands (18 years), we do not knowingly collect data from children under 10 without parental consent regarding specific child fare policies.

10. Policy Updates

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date." We encourage you to review this policy periodically, especially before booking a ticket for the new Pelican 3 vessel.

11. Complaints

If you are unsatisfied with our response to a privacy issue, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (once formally established under the incoming Data Protection Act) or seek redress through the Consumer Protection Act (Chapter 63).