Port Vila on Efate, the hub of yachting activity in Vanuatu, is undergoing a makeover. Improvements include rebuilding the sea wall, a new container and inter-island shipping wharf and a new shipping channel giving access to the inner harbour from Pontoon Bay.

Published 7 years ago, updated 5 years ago

Our thanks to Port Vila Boatyard for this news.

These projects are greatly enhancing the appearance of the Port Vila seafront.

Projects include:

1) The Port Vila Seafront Project: The entire sea wall and seafront promenade from the market house all the way to Chantilly’s hotel has been and is being rebuilt.

2) The Port Vila Commercial Wharf Redevelopment Project: The Port Vila Port area (in Pontoon and Paray bay) is getting a huge new container ship wharf, a state of the art new container and port sorting facility and a large new domestic shipping wharf for inter-island ships. Port Vila’s existing main wharf will soon be used primarily for cruise ship berthing and all container and /or other ships will then use the 2 new wharves.

3) New Shipping Channel: A +- 5 meters deep +- 50-meter wide channel has been dredged through the previously shallow area between Iririki Island and the Port area. This Channel is to the South of Iririki. What this means now is: Yachts with a draft of over 3 meters or a mast taller than 20 meters can now get access to the inner harbour from Pontoon Bay and around the south of Iririki Island through the new deep passage also bypassing the overhead power line which was previously restricting access (for tall masts) to the inner harbour and also to Yachting World’s seawall and mooring area.

The channel has been dug already and we are waiting to find out specifics from the harbourmaster about the exact protocol for use of the channel.

For now it’s important for yachts to know the following: Due to ever-increasing commercial activity, in Pontoon Bay and also the South part of Paray Bay, any yachts intending to use that new channel, must obtain permission from the harbourmaster by calling Port Vila Harbourmaster on VHF Ch.16 or 12 prior to entering Pontoon Bay and/or prior to making use of the channel from either side.

These projects are all scheduled for completion towards the end of 2017.

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