Find Freight, Shipping and Logistics expertise in Vanuatu

As Vanuatu is made up of several islands shipping is the most important element of freight services to, from and within the country.

The European Commission reports that in 2010 Vanuatu’s imports, which came principally from South Korea and Australia, were worth €0.7 billion and the total value of its exports (mainly to South Korea and Thailand) was €0.3 billion.

There are two main ports in Vanuatu, one located at Port Vila, through which roughly one third of Vanuatu’s exports and nearly all of their imports pass, and the Port of Santo at Luganville, on Espíritu Santo. Both are deep water ports that accommodate major shipping lines with full services, though coastal freight services can be irregular. They have separate port authorities: Port Villa Port Authority and Santo Port Authority. Bauerfield Airport, located just outside Port Vila, has a cargo terminal with regular airfreight service. Domestic airfreight services are available between the islands to enable fast transport of goods. There is no rail service and road freight is made difficult by an underdeveloped road network outside the Port Vila area.

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Works Utilities and includes the departments of aviation, public works and and the ports and harbours. It oversees development and, in 2006, signed the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact to improve Vanuatu’s infrastructure. Despite ambitious plans to redevelop airstrips, wharfs, roads and warehousing, the programme was downscaled to the modernisation of roads on the country’s two main islands of Efate and Santo. The Ministry appoints companies to maintain and improve roads under the Vanuatu Transport Sector Support Programme (VTSSP). The Ministry of Trade, Commerce and Industry is responsible for developing, amongst other things, export trade and manufacturing industries. One of their aims is to address the imbalance of import and export trade and thereby close the gap between revenue and expenditure.

There are local freight companies specialising in international and domestic transport of goods both by sea and air while major international couriers like DHL operate through local businesses. There are nine freight, shipping and logistics companies operating in Vanuatu including the international company DHL. There are also several freight forwarding companies which have bases around the world.