THE Bina Harbour Tuna Processing Plant Project (BHTPP) continues to move forward with geotechnical investigations on site this week following field survey work completed in early November.
The project, a significant national initiative that will see the Solomon Islands establish a world class tuna processing facility in the Malaita province, have engaged Azimuth Land Surveys from Honiara to complete the survey work and Tonkin & Taylor from New Zealand to complete the geotechnical investigations.
The Solomon Islands’ Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources (MFMR) has identified Bina Harbour, 20 kms south of the provincial capital Auki, as a prime site for development of a publicly funded, climate resilient tuna port, serving a tuna processing plant to be financed and operated by a private investor. The geotechnical investigations, planned to be completed by mid December 2024, are crucial to understanding the site’s sub-surface conditions and soil characteristics. Test results will inform infrastructure foundation design and cost estimates.
Earlier this month, local subcontractors SIOTEC and NAL Engineering were actively involved in UXO clearance and excavating test pits to examine shallow lying soils across six locations at Bina Harbour as part of the geotechnical investigation. Over the coming weeks, further site work will include the drilling of six boreholes to depths between 20-30 metres and the establishment of two standpipes to later allow for seismic testing. Collected soil samples from the geotechnical survey will also be send to New Zealand for laboratory testing.
Concurrently, the Solomon Island Maritime Authority and Project staff will be surveying Bina Harbour to scope the need for navigation aides to allow large vessels to safely transit through the waterway when servicing the new port. Environmental and social safeguard discussions will also take a step forward as the project begins consultations with key Solomon Island Government ministries and potential development partners to talk through a ‘fit for Bina’ safeguards framework to protect environmental and social features in and around Bina Harbour.
Fred Conning, Deputy Project Director speaking on behalf of the Bina Harbour Project Office says the efficient execution of these technical tasks is imperative. “At this stage, we need to understand the site’s characteristics and ensure data collection is completed to accurately categorise the physical and social environment. This will lead to informed and better decisions to progress the project’s technical design and cost estimates.” He goes onto to say that “the Bina Harbour Project Office has been proactively consulting with the community, providing detailed background information and emphasising the importance of early site investigations such as geotechnical survey”.
An induction and community consultation session covering the project layout design was conducted in October ensuring community members are well-informed and involved in the project’s development. Following the consultations, community leaders, including Chiefs, Trustees, and Church Pastors, have encouraged community members to support contractors working on site due to recognising the project’s potential benefits.
The project, once established, will enable Solomon Islands to capture more of the tuna value chain, diversifying and growing Malaita’s economy, the nation’s most populous province./ Bina Harbour Communications team.
Source: Government Communication Unit