Our work

Motukea Port

Pavement rehabilitation, project management and construction supervision at Motukea International Terminal, keeping Port Moresby’s trading gateway operational.

Project details

Location

Motukea International Terminal, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Client

PNG Ports Corporation

Explore civil engineering

Case study PDF — coming soon

01 / Challenge

Renewing pavement at an operating port

Motukea International Terminal is a major trading gateway for Port Moresby and Papua New Guinea. It handles international containers as well as general cargo, with shipping and landside movements placing continual demands on the terminal yard. Rehabilitating its pavement therefore meant working within an active logistics operation, where access and safety were as important as the finished surface. Premature pavement deterioration had produced cracking, uneven levels and potholes, with weaknesses in pavement structure and drainage contributing to the problem. The brief required a response to the underlying causes of failure. The central challenge was to reconstruct affected areas while maintaining access to the wharf and the terminal’s main roads.

Aerial view of staged pavement rehabilitation beside the wharf and container storage areas at Motukea Port.
Overhead view of pavement construction within a fenced work area at Motukea Port.

02 / Response

Staged works, coordinated around operations

The project involved civil engineering input, project management and construction supervision. The works were organised in stages, with successive mobilisations coordinated around ongoing port activities. Safe working methods and the separation of construction from operational movements were central to delivering within a busy terminal. The rehabilitation addressed pavement strength, drainage and protection against water ingress, with the aim of supporting heavy operational loads. For the client, coordinating these measures helps protect the value of the reconstruction beyond the visible wearing surface. A staged approach also allowed construction requirements and operational priorities to be considered together, reducing the risk that a repair programme created avoidable disruption elsewhere in the port.

Construction crew pouring concrete for a spoon drain at Motukea Port.
Reinforcement and formwork for RTG pavement and a spoon drain at Motukea Port.

03 / Outcome

A renewed foundation for port operations

The pavement rehabilitation works were handed over to PNG Ports in February 2023. The completed works renewed an important part of the terminal’s working infrastructure while maintaining port access through the construction programme. Motukea supports trade, serving the National Capital District, Central Province and Gulf Province, so dependable cargo access matters to businesses and communities across the region. For an asset owner, addressing pavement performance and drainage together supported a more durable operating environment and better-informed future maintenance decisions.

Aerial view of Motukea Port with container stacks, paved traffic lanes and the harbour.
Construction team standing on the paved container yard at Motukea Port.

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