Enhancing Safety, Security, and Sustainability of Apia Port Project: Environmental and Social Monitoring Report

Samoa comprises the islands of Upolu, Savai'i, Manono and Apolima in the South Pacific Ocean, together with all other adjacent islands, and lying between the 13th and 15th degrees of south latitude and the 171st and 173rd degrees of longitude west of Greenwich. The total land area is 2,831 square kilometres with a 2016 population of 192,126 split 77% and 23% between Upolu and Savaii islands respectively. The city of Apia is the commercial and political centre of Samoa and is its main international maritime port. The 2016 population was 35,744, comprising of 5,929 households, with a male/female split of 50.25% and 49.8% respectively. The Apia Urban Area comprises of 58 villages and sub-villages located to the east, west and south of the Apia port. Land within the Apia Urban Area immediately surrounding the Apia port is mainly freehold and Government owned, with small pockets of customary land owned by two villages – Apia and Matautu. The port serves nearly 100% of Samoa’s international trade and accounts for 90% of Samoa Ports Authority’s (SPA) revenue. It provides a base for passenger and freight movement via international and coastal vessels. Operational characteristics include acceptable dwelling times for ships in port, occasional queuing of vessels, and limited operation times. At present there are around 150 vessels operating out of the harbour every day. It is estimated that additional capacity that caters to 100 vessels per day would be required to support the urban centre development. The Government of Samoa (the government) requested assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to upgrade the infrastructure and operations at the Apia port. The Enhancing Safety, Security and Sustainability of Apia Port (the Project) will improve efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability of seaport in Apia, Samoa (the Port). It will upgrade terminal infrastructure to enhance safety and capacity, strengthen the existing breakwater to enhance resilience to climate change and severe storms, and construct a customs facility with a new container X-ray scanner to facilitate effective border management. The project will also support green port initiatives (GPI) to promote clean and sustainable port operations and management, and which are gender sensitive.