PNG Ports to rehabilitate 15 ports with funding from Aust

Business

THE Papua New Guinea Ports Corporation Ltd (PNG Ports) says its network of ports will be undergoing multimillion kina worth of rehabilitation in the coming years.
The ports, mainly those run under PNG Ports community service obligation (CSO), will have a large percentage of infrastructural development funding allocated.
The rehabilitation and upgrade of the ports was captured in the recently launched PNG Ports’ 30-year ports infrastructure master plan.
Much of the funding will come from the Australian government, through a K1.5 billion financial package under its infrastructure financing facility for the Pacific.
PNG Ports said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between Australia and PNG during the commissioning of the master plan in June this year.
PNG Ports managing director Fego Kiniafa clarified the infrastructure investment to stakeholders during a series of meetings held at the various CSO ports.
Queries were raised by stakeholders on the current state of ports and the need to rehabilitate them to modern facilities.
“Work on implementing the master plan has already begun,” Kiniafa said.
“The master plan was done following a structural and safety assessment which identified serious structural failings that required immediate rehabilitation.
“We have only 30 years to rehabilitate all 15 ports.
“It is not easy, however, PNG Ports is confident in delivering the rehabilitation projects under the guidance of our infrastructure master plan and through partnerships with qualified contractors in country and abroad.
“Ports are the lifeline of this nation and we intend to make them safe, competitive, modern, profitable and operationally efficient.”
Kinafa said 80 per cent of PNG’s ports did not make money and were run as CSO ports.
“These ports rely on the revenue from Lae and Motukea (Port Moresby), Rabaul, Kimbe and Madang to fund their existence.”
He said CSO ports required ongoing repair and maintenance work.
PNG Ports’ stakeholders are shipping companies, freight forwarders, stevedoring providers, shipping agents, Customs, National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority, importers, exporters and those in the logistics and supply chain industries.
PNG Ports’ CSO ports are Aitape, Alotau, Buka, Daru, Kavieng, Kieta, Lorengau, Oro Bay, Vanimo and Wewak.