Chinese Government provides grant worth 21.5 million Kina for Usino Junction-Yamagi Road Project (Linked to Record ID#64520 and Record ID#64653)

Project narrative

On January 19, 2011, the Chinese Government provided a grant worth 21.5 million Kina to the Government of Papua New Guinea for the Usino Junction-Yamagi Road Project. This project involved the construction of a 16.026 km, 7.5 meter wide access road with six bridges and 24 culverts and it was designed to increase access to the site of the China Eximbank-financed Ramu Nickel-Cobalt Project (captured via Record ID#64520 and Record ID#64653) as well as a new port at Basamuk Bay. The road begins at Usino Junction (also known as Usino Junction-Yamagi Road) and ends at the Yamagi broken bridge (in Usino-Bundi electorate and Madang Province). The road then connects to the an access road developed by the Chinese contractor (MCC) responsible for the Ramu Nickel-Cobalt Project. The purpose of the Usino Junction-Yamagi Road Project was to transport minerals (mainly nickel and cobalt) from the Ramu (also known as Kurumbukari or KBK) mine site to the port at Basamuk Bay. The project was designed by China Communications Highway Planning and Design Institute Co., Ltd., implemented by China Metallurgical Science and Industry Corporation, and supervised by Guangzhou Wanan Construction Supervision Co., Ltd. The project was originally expected to commence implementation in April 2011 and finish in April 2013. However, it ultimately began construction on November 10, 2011 and reached completion ahead of schedule on December 12, 2012. 100 PNG nationals were reportedly employed during the implementation of this project.