Page 36 - IB August 2024

PNG Ports’

K10m port

foreshore

protection

Aerial view of Alotau Port in Milne Bay Province, PNG

PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) has completed stage one of the
Alotau Port Foreshore Protection Project.
A similar project is also being carried out at the Wewak Port.
Chief Executive Officer of PNG Ports, Neil Papenfus, says both projects, costing
K780,000 and K1.2 million respectively, are part of PNG Ports’ nation-wide port
foreshore protection program which will cost a total of K10 million.
Mr Papenfus said the port foreshore protection program was essential to
prevent loss of land area at the shorefront, damage to existing port infrastructure
and potential stand-down time of port operations.
“Alotau has completed the first stage of the project and is the first of the 10 port
foreshore projects to be carried out,” he said.
“This K10 million investment aligns with the company’s infrastructure
redevelopment drive to build safe and sustainable infrastructure, factoring climate
change and seismic resilience in the design of all port infrastructural upgrades.
“Kimbe, Lorengau, and Motukea ports are in the design stages, with Rabaul,
Kavieng, Vanimo, Madang and Buka to follow. The port foreshore protection
program should be completed by 2026.
“Foreshore protection provides a barrier for our port infrastructure which are
directly exposed to risks stemming from rising sea levels and intensified storm
surges associated with climate change,” he said.
PNG Ports continues to implement multiple capital expenditure investment
projects each year, guided by the 30-Year Port Infrastructure Master Plan.
The Master Plan, launched three years ago, highlights the need for PNG
Ports’ long-serving infrastructure and port assets to undergo ‘priority repair and
modernization’, in order to meet current and future operating requirements.
This detailed Master Plan also attracted funding from the European Union and
the Australian Government through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility
for the Pacific.
Further improvements to the ports will be carried out using these funding and
will also see climate change and seismic resilient port infrastructural upgrades at
selected ports, including the piloting of a ‘green port’ initiative at the Daru Port.
Mr Papenfus added that these upgrades would be carried out in collaboration
with industry stakeholders, impact communities within declared port limits, relevant
government agencies, and development partners. Alotau Port Foreshore Protection Project

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