Norwegian expertise in ADB project in Papua New Guinea Norway’s Vissim AS and M-NAV Solutions, headquartered in the Philippines, joined forces to offer their expertise to Papua New Guinea, via the ADB project. Source: ADB Project Result / Case Study
20 ScandAsia • December 2020
W
ith over 600 islands spanning a total sea area of 3.1 million square kilometers and 65% of its population residing in in coastal areas, Papua New Guinea (PNG) relies heavily on its network of coastal shipping services. Passenger and cargo services allow citizens to access health, education and other services essential for inclusive growth. Amplifying the crucial role of coastal shipping are the challenging topographic and climate conditions that hamper the expansion of the road network. But to navigate vessels safely through these coastal areas, maritime safety and efficiency needs to be improved and upgraded. Although the vessels on major routes usually carry radar and a global positioning system, there are safety risks of straying outside key passages and many channels rely on local knowledge. “Prior to ADB’s involvement in the maritime sector, many of the country’s navigational aids, such as buoys, beacon and light towers, had deteriorated because of insufficient maintenance, weather damage, and volcanic
