The Suva Port is becoming too small for the increasing numbers of activities in Fiji and the region, and so needs to be relocated to a new site.
And the Suva Port Strategic Review – Site Selection workshop is underway in the capital city, signifying the effort and works carried out by the Government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the strategic review of maritime operations and identify a new site to relocate the Suva port or shift some of its key operations to.
In his address to officially open the workshop, Assistant Minister for Finance Esrom Immanuel said some of the key issues facing Suva Port were structural condition, capacity and cost to maintain, capacity limitations, and location that contributed to congestion, encroachment, and limited options for expansion.
He said if those issues remained unaddressed, it may limit the growth potential and economic development in the country.
Mr Immanuel said six sites were identified during a workshop in 2021, and includedthe existing Suva port, Rokobili, Draunibota, Navua, Lautoka and Momi Bay.
Those sites decribed as ‘long listed’ sites, he said were determined through an analysis.
According to Mr Immanuel, the ADB had provided a loan of $16.8 million in 2002 to improve the Suva and Lautoka ports.
And in December 2015, the ADB approved technical assistance to prepare a Ports Development Masterplan for Fiji which confirmed the port would need to be relocated because of aging infrastructure and capacity constraints.
In August 2020 through the request from the Government, the Royal HaskoningDHV – an Australian company was engaged by ADB to undertake the maritime sector review and to identify a preferred site for the relocation of the Suva Port.
The main objective of the study is to identify a new site to relocate some – if not all – of Suva Port’s key operations, mitigating existing constraints and maximising Fiji’s potential for economic development over the next 30 years and prepare the groundwork for the next stage of the project.
“Port development and having the port at the right place is very important. Ports are catalysts for economic development or considered as ‘funnels’ to economic development as they enable trade and support supply chains.
“The impacts of port infrastructure investments are expected to positively influence port throughput effects on local economic development.”
Mr Immanuel said the Government was looking at a port that may be a one stop shop that would accommodate all container ships, fishing vessels and also ship building.
“The existing Suva Port can then be essentially used for cruise liners. The new port will also allow Fiji Ports Corporation Limited to receive larger vessels with higher volumes.”
