Vanuatu - IFIRA Port Company

PORT VILA: Approximately Vt180-million-worth of container handling equipment has arrived, ready to be used at Vanuatu’s main wharf in the Capital, Port Vila.

The equipment funded by JICA, is part of the Lapetasi Multi-Purpose Wharf project with New Zealand Company, Portstar Machinery Ltd as the supplier.

They comprise two 45-tonnes full reach stackers, two 10-tonnes empty reach stackers, as well as spare parts and tyres, and will go a long way to assisting Ifira Ports Development Services (IPDS) ensure maximization of limited space at the wharf site.

Present onsite on Tuesday 25th October for the unveiling was the Minister for Infrastructure and Public Utilities Jotham Napat, as well as government officials, IPDS staff and landowners.

General Manager of IPDS Russel Mitchel…..(Quote)

Before that, Ifira Wharf and Stevedoring only had one forklift which was often over-worked, and mostly stacked containers horizontally. 

Container handling at the country’s main port is now bound to be greatly improved. 

With construction now in progress at the new Lapetasi multi-purpose wharf, better container management arrangements are a critically important, to accommodate the construction works and ensure the highest possible standards of safety are maintained.

IPDS should now be able to stack more containers – at least five high, with the new reach stackers.

Portstar Forklifts successfully won the tender to supply the container handling equipment after going through government approved tendering process. 

A contract agreement for the supply of the equipment was signed in February this year.

Portstar has been instrumental in the ongoing success in Port Vila, supplying in total 4 machines in 2017 and a further 45T reach stacker in late 2024. Portstar also guided Port Vila in finding the right terminal operating system in 2018 with Wave Systems being implemented in that year.