Deal to improve navigation

GOVERNOR-General Sir Bob Dadae awarded a mutli-million kina contract to Nawae Construction Ltd (NCL) on behalf of the State on Friday for the replacement and installation of navigational aids (lighthouses) for mainland coastal provinces in Mamose.
The project is to be delivered at a cost of K11,904,348.65 and funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
NCL will build, replace and install 36 lighthouses for Mamose from Vanimo in East Sepik to Madang, Morobe and Popondetta in Oro to guide ships and vessels through safe passages.
NCL chief executive officer Julius Violaris told The National that the navigational aids were to guide ships into harbours.
He said NCL had the experience of building such projects and was confident that it would deliver the new project.
“Nawae has done many similar projects before, three of which was funded by ADB and some were funded by the National Maritime and Safety Authority (NMSA),” he said.
“We have also worked very closely with NMSA before and now we are happy to be working with them again on this project.”
Lighthouse installation would start within three months.
Once completed, the project would be under the maritime and waterways safety project for the NMSA.
NMSA chief executive officer Paul Unas said NMSA was excited about the contract signing to fast-track the project as the loan component of the project would end on September.