Nauru port workers to be trained as construction begins on new port

Construction has begun on a new port in Nauru, which will one day make imports safer, easier, and cheaper for the Pacific island nation.

But a new port needs workers who know how to operate it.

And that training—in key areas such as maritime safety, stevedoring, and equipment maintenance—has already begun.

The Asian Development Bank is funding the training of the port’s 60 workers over the next 10 months in preparation for the port’s opening in 2021.

The workers are being schooled in maritime safety, stevedoring, equipment handling and maintenance, accounting, finance, and human resources.

Ricky Ellis, Technical Advisor said, “They’re already quite capable guys, as far as mechanicing goes, they already know what they’re doing, it’s just some of the intricacies of getting, going through, say, a service and checking all the bits and pieces. Just getting a bit more in-depth in a service,.”

The new port is jointly funded by ADB and Australia, Japan, Nauru, and the Green Climate Fund.

The benefits for Nauru will be significant.

Michael Nye, Chief Executive Office, Nauru Maritime and Port Authority said,” the first benefit is it makes the importation of domestic cargo competitive and therefore that should result in a lowering of the freight rates and prices to the island residents. The second thing, it will allow a connectivity with the rest of the world as far as imports and exports are concerned. So it will allow the island to communicate with the rest of the world with exports.”

The boat harbor at Aiwo on the western side of the island has been used as a de-facto port for more than a century—but it’s not equipped for boats to dock.

So the loading and unloading of cargo from container vessels and fuel from tankers happens offshore where it’s dangerous and sometimes life-threatening.

For the workers who will operate this new port, the skills they’re learning now could be life-changing.