BY CLIFFORD FAIPARIK in Vanimo
Vanimo town is preparing to receive Prime Minister James Marape on Monday (6th of December) to launch the Vanimo international wharf project in West Sepik according to Provincial Administrator Conrad Tilau.
PM Marape is also expected to open the new office complex for the Provincial Education Division and the new Provincial Assembly; and inspect the new terminal of the airport.
Mr Tilau said that the international wharf will include a naval base for maritime surveillances to monitor the movement of people and vessels travelling at sea between Jayapura in Indonesia and Vanimo.
In June 14, 2018 then National Planning Minister Richard Maru when announcing the commencement of the feasibility studies said the wharf would cost about K15million and will be co-funded by the PNG Government and the Asian Development Bank.
“Frieda gold mine and the Bewani Oil Palm project will start soon and there needs to be security along the waters of the PNG-Indonesian border”.
Mr Maru said plantation managers have pleaded with the government to build a wharf to assist them get the oil palm out.
“Bewani Oil Palm said it needed another 10 hectares for their storages facilities for the wharf.
“The proposed new Vanimo wharf is part of the overall development strategy for the province.”
“Vanimo international wharf will be strategically located as PNG’s closest wharf to the Asian market and will transform West Sepik into a dynamic economic hub for the country, Mr Maru said then.
Meanwhile, Transport Secretary Roy Mumu said the current port was only 28 metres long and the water depth is 6m.
“Our challenge is to extend the wharf to cater for large ships and to have the depth to be 15 metres,"Mr Mumu said.
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