The vessels, constructed by Wärtsilä Ship Design, will be 5,400 DWT bulk and container carriers installed at Fujian Mawei Shipbuilding Limited in China, and, once completed, will operate mainly between Kiunga in the Western Province and Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea (PNG).

POML currently operates 10 vessels in PNG, nine of which support the operations of OTML and the OK Tedi Production Base. Of its nine vessels, four are used to export copper concentrate from the western province of Kiunga through the Fly River to Port Moresby.

To operate on the Fly River, the fit-out and configuration of the existing vessels, as well as newbuilds, is streamlined. POML said the new buildings would optimize the lifting of cargo while still fulfilling the specific environmental standards and ensuring that the activities of the ships will not impact the communities on the river.

Maritime Business World