Source: New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade – Aid and Development – Press Release/Statement:
Headline: New wharves providing opportunities for Solomon Islanders
Five new wharves financed by New Zealand, Australia, Solomon Islands and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are set to improve shipping services and reduce barriers to business for Solomon Islanders. The wharves will allow better access to jobs and opportunities for private sector investment, as well as improving access to copra and cocoa markets. The new robust wharves are safe and more resistant to the effects of climate change.
Ringgi wharf on Kolombangara Island, Keru wharf on Keru Island, Ngasini wharf on Vangunu Island, and Tatamba and Susabona wharves in Santa Isabel have all been successfully upgraded ahead of schedule.
With the cumulative savings made from constructing the five wharves, a sixth wharf will shortly be constructed in Lambulambu on Vella la Vella Island in Western Province.
The Domestic Maritime Support Project has already rebuilt nine wharves and two landing ramps in five Solomon Islands provinces. It has also supported a franchise shipping scheme to remote communities, allowing private sector operators to deliver to destinations that would otherwise not be commercially viable.
The Domestic Maritime Support Project is financed by the Asian Development Bank, the New Zealand Aid Programme, and the Australian Aid Program. New Zealand has contributed approximately $6.2 million of the total $9 million of the project to the Domestic Maritime Support Project – including additional financing for Susabona wharf and Lambulambu wharf.