Landowners in Papua New Guinea's Gulf Province have approved a multi-billion dollar infrastructure development known as the Paia Inlet Integrated Development Project.
It includes the redevelopment of roads, a port development on the Kikori River at Wowobo, an industrial centre and township.
Business Advantage PNG reports that the port will primarily serve Gulf Province oil and gas projects, as well as the proposed Purari River Hydro development scheme.
The Gulf Provincial Economic Development Authority has set up the Paia Inlet Infrastructure Development Company, in which the Gulf Provincial government holds a 85 per cent shareholding and Hela province holds 15 per cent.
Hela is also the location of a major gas project due to begin production this year.
The US-engineering form Aecom will carry out the technical work on the project.
A loan for the development has been sought from China's Exim Bank.
