THE National Airports Corporation (NAC) of Papua New Guinea has made significant strides in the last couple of months from June to July, focusing on enhancing the country’s aviation infrastructure and services. This month has seen a series of strategic initiatives and partnerships aimed at modernizing airport facilities and improving the overall passenger experience across NAC’s 22 airports.
Key Developments in June and July 2024
On June 27th, NAC signed a pivotal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nasfund,
the largest superannuation fund in Papua New Guinea. This agreement is designed to enable both organizations to explore investment opportunities at the airports particularly
targeting NAC’s unused landbank.
Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, Walter Schnaubelt emphasized the importance of
this partnership, noting that it would facilitate essential improvements, not only at Jacksons
Airport in Port Moresby but across all airports managed by NAC. The MoU aims to create a framework for both organizations to identify investment areas that would benefit NAC and Nasfund members. Rajeev Sharma, Nasfund’s CEO highlighted the dual focus of the partnership: enhancing airport infrastructure developments, while also raising awareness about superannuation among travelers, particularly children accompanying their parents.
Minister Schnaubelt told journalists at the press conference that there was around K4 billion worth of airport land assets in Papua New Guinea that is currently awaiting investment. This substantial figure underscores the potential for significant development within the aviation sector. The collaboration with Nasfund is seen as a crucial step in unlocking these investment opportunities, which could lead to improved facilities and services for
travelers.
Throughout the month of July, NAC through contractor Hebou Constructions Limited
prioritized the runway repair and maintenance work on the Tokua Airport in East New Britain Province. The work included an adjustment of airport operating hours from 12 hours to 7 hours daily. The change was intended to optimize operational efficiency and resource allocation, reflecting NAC’s ongoing commitment to effective airport management. The adjustment was part of NAC’s broader strategy to continue service delivery while ensuring compliance with aviation safety regulations. NAC is hopeful and remains committed to meeting its target date of full runway length available for Fokker 100 and Fokker 70 operations by August 1, 2024.
Safety remains a top priority for NAC. Also in the month of July, the organization announced
its recent certification by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority of Papua New Guinea (CASA PNG), as an Aviation Training Organization. This significant achievement, granted under Civil Aviation Rule Part 141, strengthens NAC’s position as Papua New Guinea’s premier airport operator and aviation security provider.
“This certification empowers NAC to deliver internal security screener training and expand our services to other organizations nationwide,” said Dominic Kaumu, Acting Managing Director and CEO. “To ensure ongoing compliance, we will be upgrading our Computer-Based Training (CBT) Simulator Software to the latest X-Ray Tutorial 4 (XRT4) version.”
In collaboration with international security software company, Center for Adaptive Security
Research and Applications (CASRA), the upgrade will ensure that NAC’s security screeners remain proficient in identifying the most recent threats thereby safeguarding travellers from evolving risks.
This upgrade is critical for maintaining compliance with Civil Aviation Rule Part 141 for
Aviation Security (AVSEC) screener training and is important to assess the competency
levels of the screeners.
The XRT4 software is a cutting-edge simulator tutorial, designed to train and assess
screeners’ ability to recognize and analyze potential threats in X-ray scans of luggage.
By equipping AVSEC personnel with advanced skills through the CASRA XRT4 program,
NAC empowers them to effectively identify and mitigate risks using X-ray technology.
Aviation security screeners are the cornerstone of aviation safety. They serve as the first
line of defence, preventing prohibited items and dangerous materials from compromising
passenger safety. As NAC moves forward, it aims to sustain its modernization efforts and infrastructure development initiatives. Aside from looking internally to partner with investors such as superfunds, the organization is also exploring opportunities for collaboration with international investors to bring in expertise and funding for airport development projects.
On June 28th, NAC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Shanghai based Conglomerate, Rongkai Investment Limited to initiate discussions on the development of
a significant commercial property complex within the Jacksons Airport precinct in Port
Moresby. The agreement allows NAC and its financial advisor, to look at the project model
proposed by the investor and to progress discussions.
The initiative has been applauded by the Transport and Civil Aviation Minister, Walter
Schnaubelt who describes the initiative as an important step forward for NAC as it would
allow the airport operator to capitalize on its land assets to diversify revenue and achieve
long-term financial sustainability, which aligns with the government’s growth and development policies.
Acting Managing Director, Dominic Kaumu is optimistic that the initiative will open up
opportunities for NAC and Papua New Guinea, to transform Port Moresby International
Airport into a premier regional transit hub, connecting a wider network of destinations
throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
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