Page 37 - IB August 2024

Shipping and Ports

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By Samantha Magick
The arrival of the SV Juren Ae into Majuro
Lagoon under full sail at the end of last
PNG Ports’ month was a majestic sight.
It was also an important moment for
sustainable shipping in our region.
In 2020, Marshall Islands committed to
K10m port reducing carbon emissions by its domestic
shipping fleets by 40% by 2030, and 100% by
2050. Micronesian Centre for Sustainable
foreshore Transport (MCST) legal researcher, Tina
Schultz says while these targets are highly
ambitious, they are achievable with the
right financing and technologies.
protection Pacific is not a healthy one,” she recently
“Our domestic shipping scenario in the
said during a MCST webinar. “Our maritime
countries have the world’s highest transport
Aerial view of Alotau Port in Milne Bay Province, PNG connectivity prices, the longest routes and
the narrowest economies.
“Our domestic shipping services are
PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports) has completed stage one of the
Alotau Port Foreshore Protection Project. inadequate and substandard except on the
A similar project is also being carried out at the Wewak Port. most profitable routes. The unfortunate
Chief Executive Officer of PNG Ports, Neil Papenfus, says both projects, costing reality for our unique maritime geographies
K780,000 and K1.2 million respectively, are part of PNG Ports’ nation-wide port is while shipping is an essential need, it
foreshore protection program which will cost a total of K10 million.
Mr Papenfus said the port foreshore protection program was essential to simply doesn’t have a workable business
prevent loss of land area at the shorefront, damage to existing port infrastructure case. We are trapped in a vicious cycle
and potential stand-down time of port operations. where no investment or insurance capacity
“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. means we are reliant on old, imported or
“This K10 million investment aligns with the company’s infrastructure end-of-life or donated aid vessels. We also
redevelopment drive to build safe and sustainable infrastructure, factoring climate have highly limited maintenance capacity
change and seismic resilience in the design of all port infrastructural upgrades. and an undervalued labour force.”
“Kimbe, Lorengau, and Motukea ports are in the design stages, with Rabaul,
Kavieng, Vanimo, Madang and Buka to follow. The port foreshore protection Schultz says the biggest test now is
program should be completed by 2026. to transition away from chronic fuel
“Foreshore protection provides a barrier for our port infrastructure which are dependency and still provide connectivity to
directly exposed to risks stemming from rising sea levels and intensified storm Pacific communities.
surges associated with climate change,” he said. The SV Juren Ae is one example of the
PNG Ports continues to implement multiple capital expenditure investment
projects each year, guided by the 30-Year Port Infrastructure Master Plan. innovation required. A low carbon cargo Photos: Chewy Lin
The Master Plan, launched three years ago, highlights the need for PNG and passenger vessel, it was built on South
Ports’ long-serving infrastructure and port assets to undergo ‘priority repair and Korea’s Geoje Island, and funded by a range
modernization’, in order to meet current and future operating requirements. of development partners led by Germany’s
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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