Name of Client:
National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA)
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Length of Consultancy Assignment:
Start Date: 16 February 2015
Completion Date: 7 October 2018
Detailed Narrative Description of Project:
The project is expected to further improve the safety and efficiency of international and national shipping, along with small craft safety in PNG by upgrading the country’s navigational aids (navaids) network, make maritime safety information more readily available, and help develop maritime safety communities of practice.
These improvements, which are expected to benefit remote, rural populations and boost local and international shipping and trade, include: (i) replacement of 99 existing navaids and installation of 33 additional navaids; (ii) production of nautical charts and electronic navigational charts (ENCs) for seven ports; and extension of the automatic identification system (AIS) network by installing AIS transponders and base stations in at least five sites; and (iii) conduct of a well-planned media campaign and production of high-quality information materials aimed at different audiences.
PRIMEX fielded an international Environment Specialist, who was responsible for the assessment of environmental issues arising from the project and the provision of technical inputs for feasibility studies and capacity development related to the environment. More specifically, he: (i) assisted with data collection during the engineering survey of sites and potential navaid locations; (ii) liaised with the Gender, Community, and Lands Specialist to develop public consultation strategy for overall project implementation; (iii) in accordance with the environmental assessment review framework (EARF) prepared for the project and IEEs prepared for the two identified sites and based on site-specific survey data, conducted pre-installation site visits and assessments and prepared pre-installation assessment (PIA) reports for batches of sites and navaid locations; (iv) in accordance with the EARF, developed environmental management plans (EMPs) for different navaid types and for navaid installation on different seabed types; (v) ensured that environmental safeguards measures complied with national safeguards requirements, including submission of required documentation to the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC); (vi) ensured that all requirements for document and information disclosure and grievance redress were implemented as per the EARF, relevant ADB policies, and government laws and regulations; (vii) assisted the Civil Engineer in bringing environmental management provisions from PIAs and EMPs into bid/tender documents, reviewing bids and providing inputs to the bid evaluation panel, advising the evaluation team on the capacity of the contractor to implement proposed EMPs, and undertaking monitoring and reporting, as required; (viii) assisted the Environment Officer to review and approve the installation EMPs and reports (IEMP/IEMRs) submitted by contractors; (ix) facilitated capacity development activities of NMSA counterpart (i.e., Environment Officer), other government staff, and national consultants, as required, to ensure skills transfer for improved environmental management within government projects and NMSA; (x) conducted training and other capacity building activities related to safeguards for government staff, PIU members, and other relevant stakeholders and built the capacity of the Environment Officer in monitoring compliance with EMPs and associated works under the project and for longer term improved environmental management within NMSA.