by Delly Waigeno – EM TV News
After years of neglect, the Lorengau sea port on Manus Island is slowly being restored to its glory days. This has been made possible through PNG Ports Corporation’s continued drive to improve maritime transport infrastructure nationwide.
PNG Ports Corporation’s invested more than K300, 000 last month to give the port a much needed facelift.
The port is small with only five employees, but, is the lifeline to the more than 60,000 people of Manus, by being the gateway for goods and services to flow into the province.
The port also contributes to the export of cocoa, copra and bech-de-mer.
Very little had been done to develop the port but after an inspection carried out by PNGPCL in March, the company decided to carry out major upgrades on the infrastructure. These included:
• The port electrical installation upgraded from the current single phase 240volts supply to 3 phase 415volts
• Upgrade the mains supply cable from 6.0mm² to 35mm²
• Install a 25kVA standby generator for alternate power supply.
• Replace all existing 360watt (all defective) area lights to 1000watts to provide maximum illumination of the port area.
• Renew all other electrical fittings and accessories as most of them were obsolete and not in compliant with AS/NZ 3000 standards.
• Install a new 3 phase main distribution meter.
Apart from these, the defunct toilet facilities were restored, the old water tank with contaminated water was replaced and clean water restored, and some facelift was given to the deteriorated port office.
The work began on June 3rd and was completed, earlier this month.
Lorengau port Business Manager, Mark Pawa, and his staff, were grateful for the improvemen’s as the ‘fresh look’ was a boost for the small port.
PNGPCL Chief Executive Officer, Stanley Alphonse, said PNGPCL has a Service Charter, both under the regulatory contract it has with the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC), and the Harbours Act to maintain these smaller ports at an operational level.
Mr Alphonse said: “The rehabilitation of the infrastructure at Lorengau is consistent with efforts by PNGPCL to upgrade core infrastructure around the country to meet demand in the economy and support the efforts by the Government to improve transport infrastructure and living standards among the citizens.
