THE operational performance of Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) two international sea ports—Port Moresby (Motukea) and Lae—has been ranked in the top 50% of ports in the Oceania region.
Both ports, owned and managed by PNG Ports Corporation Limited (PNG Ports), are operated by International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI) under a 25-year agreement that began in 2017.
Motukea and Lae outperformed several major Australian ports, including Melbourne, Brisbane, Port Botany, Adelaide, and Fremantle, as well as New Zealand’s Otago Harbour, Napier, Tauranga, Auckland, and Lyttelton ports.
These rankings were revealed in the World Bank’s report, “Container Port Performance Index 2023: A Comparative Assessment of Performance Based on Vessel Time in Port”, which compared 405 international ports globally. Motukea ranked 289th, and Lae 326th, placing them ahead of numerous busier and more modernized ports.
The report focused on container ship time in port, which is influenced by the quality and speed of crane operations. High-quality infrastructure and efficient port operations are critical to successful export-led growth strategies, which often result in higher levels of economic growth. The report also highlighted the negative impact of poor port performance on global supply chains, which can increase the cost of imports and exports, reduce a country’s competitiveness, and hinder economic growth.
PNG Ports Chief Executive Officer Neil Papenfus welcomed the rankings, noting that they reflect the ongoing investment in greater efficiency at both Motukea and Lae in partnership with ICTSI over the last seven years.
This partnership has been crucial to enhancing the ports’ capacity in line with the country’s growing international trade.
ICTSI introduced ship-to-shore cranes in Lae last year, significantly boosting efficiency and reducing vessel turnaround times. The shift from manual invoicing to real-time electronic data exchange, invoicing, and payments has also contributed to improved port operations.
Mr. Papenfus added that PNG Ports, with the support of the government, is committed to ongoing development, guided by the 30-Year Port Master Plan, which includes investment in the pilotage sector and continued improvements in port security.
In addition to Motukea and Lae, PNG Ports also owns 13 other ports across the country, including Daru, Oro Bay, Alotau, Rabaul, Kimbe, Lorengau, Kavieng, Wewak, Vanimo, Aitape, Madang, Buka, and Kieta, which operate as part of its community service obligation.
