Session: 14-01-01: Small Maritime Nations

Paper Number: 105556

105556 - Preparing for Climate Change Impacts at the Port Interface: P. N. G. P. C. L. Experience 

“Preparing for Climate Change Impacts at the Port Interface: PNGPCL experience” presents the experience and progress of PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL) as Papua New Guinea’s state-mandated national port custodian and developer as it prepares to face the impacts of climate change (CC) at its 15 ports across the mainland coastline and five main islands of PNG. Many of these national ports are run as community service obligations, subsidised by the few more profitable ports, namely Lae and Motukea Port. Thus, preparing for CC impacts has had to be strategic and comprehensive in its foundational development before staged implementation could begin.

The PNGPCL Infrastructure Division has recently collaborated in an ADB-funded national program to build resilience to CC in PNG. Through this collaboration, PNGPCL and international technical experts have compiled four technical documents for PNGPCL that form the basis of increasing the CC resilience at the port level, especially in relation to the port infrastructure. The documents include:

1.       Historic Data For Distinct Climate Zones for PNG Ports, September 2019

2.       Climate Change Projections and Vulnerability Assessment for Ports in Papua New Guinea, September 2019

3.       Guidance Manual for Undertaking Site-specific Vulnerability Assessments and Formulation of Port Infrastructure Climate Change Risk Management Plans, April 2020

4.       Guidance Manual for Design of Climate Change Resilient Coastal Port Infrastructure, July 2020

The paper presents key components of the four technical documents and how they inform improved CC preparation at the port interface. The paper then discusses the next progression of activities that build upon this technical foundation, and highlights their applications to parallel projects and technical interventions that PNGPCL is employing and developing to equip its ports. It is expected that the findings will also benefit other ports in the Pacific.

Presenting Author: Vagi Eoima PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL)

Presenting Author Biography: Chief Infrastructure Officer of PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL)

Authors:

Eunice Dalton PNG Ports Corporation Limited
Vagi Eoima PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNGPCL)