Chinese Government provides RMB 40 million grant for Fish Processing Facilities Project (Linked to Project ID#63854 and #73689)

In 2007, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) provided an RMB 40 million ($4.6 million) grant to the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu for the Fish Processing Facilities Project. The purpose of this project was to construct a 2705.44 square meter fish processing facility in Black Sands village on the western outskirts of Port Vila. The facility was to include a 2084 square meter fish processing and cold storage plant, a 430.4 square meter office building, an 800kva transformer and distribution center, a back-up generator, a 40.43 square meeter generator room, a sewage treatment station, and a 142.29 square meter ice making and ice storage room. Upon completion, the facility was expected to process 15,000 tons of fish products every year. The ultimate objective of the project was to create jobs and increase the production and sale of fish and fish products (as fish caught in Vanuatu's EEZ were previously being processed in Fiji). Jiangsu Provincial Construction Group Co., Ltd. (JPC) was responsible for project implementation and Shenyang Engineering Supervision Consulting Co., Ltd. was responsible for project supervision. Construction began on December 5, 2007 and ended on June 6, 2009. A formal project handover ceremony took place on September 10, 2009. However, the plant did not become operational for many years because of various delays and controversies, including land disputes and complaints about potential pollution. For several years, the facility was inactive because of an incomplete Environment Impact Assessment (EIA). Then, the facility did not pass a Seafood Verification Audit in August 2016. Vanuatu’s Ministry of Agriculture also reported that the facility did not meet the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HAACP) food safety standards.

Additional details

In 2004, CNFC Overseas Fishery Company Ltd and Vanuatu Government signed the first Fisheries Co-operation Framework, which paved way for the creation of a Joint Venture Agreement (JVA). Then on October 25, 2005, the then Prime Minister of Vanuatu signed the initial JFA on behalf of the Vanuatu Government with the CNFC. The joint venture that was established was to assume responsibility for the management of the fish processing facility. Then, in 2006, the Government of Vanuatu signed a supplementary agreement with CNFC for the use of the Fisheries Department wharf development. However, wharf development did not proceed because shallow waters at Seafront and South of Iririki Island prevented large vessels coming in. A joint venture company called Sino-Van Fisheries Limited (see Project ID#73689) was established in July 2008. Former Director General, Jeffrey Wilfred signed the JVA on behalf of Vanuatu’s Minister of Agriculture and the Government. Then, in 2017, the Government of Vanuatu decided to relocate the facility from Black Sands to Forari. Sino-Van Fisheries Limited (Sino-Van) ultimately commenced operations on October 25, 2019 after relocating the facility was relocated. This project is linked to Project ID#63854, which provided cash assistance for municipal power supply to support the facility. This project is also known as the Tuna Processing Facilities Project, Fish Processing Project, the Blacksands Project, the Black Sands Project, the Vanuatu Aquatic Product Processing Plant Project, and the Sino-Van Fisheries Limited (Sino-Van) Project. The Chinese project title is 水产品加工厂项目 or 援瓦努阿图水产品加工厂项目.

Number of official sources

19

Number of total sources

30