Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister has opened a new wharf extension to the international shipping port in Lae.
Peter O'Neill says Lae International Port is going to be the hub of trading activity for the Pacific and can cater for large ships carrying bigger loads.
He says the expanded facility will help support nearby mining projects.
He says staff at the port must deliver world class customer service and make sure ships are checked and cleared in record time.
The Prime Minister says the government has inherited a range of infrastructure deficiencies following decades of neglect, but is now working through these problems and allocating funding to key projects.
