The people of Aitape and the wider West Sepik Province will benefit from new port facilities designed to provide safe and reliable sea access following the official launch of the K25 million Aitape Port Redevelopment Project.
The project is funded internally by PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) and forms part of its nationwide Port Upgrade Programme, which covers the national port network, from major gateways such as Lae and Motukea to ports serving communities in Kimbe and smaller Community Service Obligation (CSO) locations.
A recent independent socio-economic assessment found that the 15 ports managed by PNG Ports support about K29 billion in economic activity annually, equivalent to 22 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Although only Lae, Port Moresby and Kimbe are commercially self-sustaining, every port in the network delivers significant social and economic value to the communities it serves. Earnings from the major ports help support the operation of smaller ports.
The assessment identified Aitape as a critical lifeline for the Aitape-Lumi District. With the port out of service, cargo has been transported by road to and from Wewak, a journey of three to five hours each way along a route prone to flooding at multiple river crossings.
Air freight is too expensive for most goods, while heavy cash crops such as cocoa cannot be transported economically by road to other ports.
With the investment, Aitape Port has the potential to handle about 25,000 tonnes of cargo annually and support approximately K101 million in regional economic activity each year.
The project was officially launched by Deputy Prime Minister John Rosso and Minister for State Enterprises William Duma, together with Aitape-Lumi MP Anderson Mise and other dignitaries.
Duma said the redevelopment fulfilled a commitment to bring larger vessels back to Aitape.
“Aitape is one of the remote ports, like Vanimo and Wewak, that are lifelines where road connectivity is impractical,” Duma said. “Moving people and freight to other destinations will be cheaper and more reliable.”
The project will be delivered by China Harbour Engineering Company (PNG) Limited over 12 months. The works include construction of a new main wharf and mooring dolphin structure, rehabilitation of the approach trestle and small ship wharf, and installation of new fenders, bollards and wharf furniture.
The new fender systems are designed to protect the wharf and trestle from the impact of berthing vessels, helping to extend the service life of the infrastructure.
Once completed, the port will support the safe and reliable movement of cargo, passengers, household goods, medical supplies and school materials. It will also give local producers of seafood, cocoa, vanilla and fresh produce better access to markets.
“We recognised that Aitape needed a lasting solution, not a temporary repair,” PNG Ports chief executive officer Neil Papenfus said. “Today, we are proud to launch these works, funded by PNG Ports at a cost of K25 million.”
“This port belongs to your community, and we are committed to delivering a facility that will serve you well for many years to come,” Papenfus said.
Duma also called on community leaders, landowners, churches and police to work together to protect the port infrastructure and support PNG Ports’ maintenance plan.
PNG Ports acknowledged Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH), the West Sepik Provincial Government, the Aitape-Lumi District Development Authority, and the people and customary landowners of Aitape for their support.
About PNG Ports Corporation Limited
PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) is Papua New Guinea’s national ports authority, managing 15 of the country’s 23 declared ports and handling 100 per cent of the nation’s seaborne trade.
The state-owned corporation is the successor to the PNG Harbours Board, with Kumul Consolidated Holdings (KCH) serving as its sole shareholder on behalf of the State of Papua New Guinea.
The corporation’s management and operations are governed by relevant port and shipping regulations, as well as policy directives issued by the National Executive Council through the Ministry of State Enterprises.
PNG Ports Corporation Limited was officially launched on 13 November 2006. Its predecessors operated under several names: the Papua and New Guinea Harbours Board from 1963 to 1969, the Papua New Guinea Harbours Board from 1970 to 2002, and PNG Harbours Board Limited from 2002 to 2006.
The corporation operates and manages 15 ports: Aitape, Alotau, Buka, Daru, Kavieng, Kieta, Kimbe, Lae, Lorengau, Madang, Oro Bay, Port Moresby, Rabaul, Vanimo and Wewak.
These ports handle more than 5.8 million tonnes of cargo annually, representing 100 per cent of Papua New Guinea’s seaborne trade and serving as key gateways to more than 300 scattered islands.
PNG Ports provides berthage, wharfage, storage, pilotage, harbour management, surveillance and other port-related services. Pilotage services are supported by pilot launches stationed at the corporation’s main ports. Port-related tariffs are regulated by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).
