New wharf helps tuna boats

RD Fishing vessels will now dock at RD Fishing Wharf following the commissioning of the wharf at Vidar outside Madang on Friday.
The commissioning and declaration of the RD Fishing wharf as a PNG Customs-controlled wharf will enable fishing vessels to dock directly rather than using the main Madang Port.
Customs acting chief commissioner Mark Rami said the establishment of Customs’ operations at RD Fishing was regarded as the first step towards the Government’s K360 million Pacific Marine Industrial Zone project.
Rami said it took Customs more than 10 years to deliver the arrangement.
He acknowledged the work that RD Fishing was doing in terms of providing employment to local Madang people and promoting PNG tuna in European markets.
RD Fishing vice-president and general manager Arnel Gonato said the company had 16 vessels with 11 currently operating and five undergoing repairs.
“This is a big step we have taken,” he said,
“That means Customs will now facilitate the declaration of our vessels here. Our vessels will not go to Madang town anymore but will come here directly from their trips.”
Gonato said the company employed 500 nationals from Madang.
RD Fishing has been tasked to provide accommodation for Customs staff to live close to the wharf to do their work.
Meanwhile, locals from Kananam Island near the RD Fishing facility attended the ceremony in silence and raised concerns over the development.