Kiribati construction challenges

Crew members, construction equipment, and materials are being assembled on the small Pacific Island of Kiribati for Fletcher - BPC’s first project there since the 1990s.

Construction Manager Mike Bennet is on site with the first of the team, awaiting a barge carrying construction plant and 250T of structural aggregate from Vanuatu.

Project Director Tony Care says Kiribati’s remoteness means getting everything there is challenging. “The team is focused on early procurement,” he says. “We’re chasing the best shipping routes, which will dictate where materials are purchased from. Limited land availability means storage facilities are minimal so that’s an added pressure.”

All construction water supply needs to be via desalination, and with no quality local stone or sand all aggerates will be imported from Vanuatu and Fiji.