Trucking firm resumes services

A TRUCKING company which suspended operations early this month because of the law and order situation in the Highlands region, has resumed its services.
The Trans Wonderland Limited provides transport and logistics support services to ExxonMobil PNG and Oil Search Limited.
It suspended operation on Oct 5 because of election-related violence along the section of the Highlands Highway between Mendi and Tari.
Managing director Larry Andagali told The National that they resumed operations on Thursday because of the urgent need for pipes and equipment to be used in the Angore pipeline projects. The trucks began travelling out of Mt Hagen to the project sites.
“We know that part of the 500 police and defence personnel deployed into Southern Highlands and Hela are patrolling the Mendi-Tari section of the highway to ensure the safety for our drivers, the trucks and our cargoes,” he said.
A spokesperson for ExxonMobil PNG told The National on Thursday that violence and lawlessness along that section of the highway had affected operations of the oil and gas projects in Hela and Southern Highlands after TWL stopped its trucks.
“PNG LNG operations at the Hides Gas conditioning plant are continuing with no material impacts,” the spokesperson said.
“But work on the Angore pipeline project has been affected with pipes and equipment unable to be delivered by road.”
Andagali said his workers had earlier been held up, robbed and harassed along the section of the highway.