Minister of State and of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and
Official Spokesperson for the Government of Timor-Leste
Dili, June 16th, 2017
Ground Breaking Ceremony for the Tibar Port Project
On the 14th of June the Government joined with Timor Port S.A. to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Tibar Bay Port. The construction of this world-class facility over the next three years will see the completion of a priority infrastructure project identified in Timor-Leste’s Strategic Development Plan 2011-2030 and advanced in recent years by the efforts of the Sixth Constitutional Government.
In his closing remarks at the ceremony the Minister of Planning and Strategic Investment, H.E. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, said that the port would facilitate the import and export of goods with greater speed and efficiency, lowering costs. He pointed out that the project could support further development in the Tibar area for business and industry and would see the training and employment of significant numbers of local people.
Timor-Leste’s new modern international cargo terminal will include a 630-metre two-berth facility and container terminal expected to handle over 870,000 containers annually at full capacity, as well as cargo, customs and administration buildings. The port has been designed to allow for future expansion and has reached its current status after considerable technical, social and environmental evaluations.
Following a competitive international bidding process overseen by the International Finance Corporation [IFC] a contract for the Public Private Partnership was signed on the 3rd of June 2016 with the Bolloré consortium and the Government of Timor-Leste. The consortium then formed Timor Port S.A. to design, build and operate the port for a period of 30 years including the construction period of three years.
Along with ensuring the advancement of this vital infrastructure project the Government has undertaken major reforms to create a new modernized Customs Authority for the proper, efficient and transparent collection of revenue, facilitation of trade, management of travellers and protection of borders from illegal and dangerous goods.
Spokesperson, Minister of State Agio Pereira, said “the Tibar Bay Port is a bold project, necessary to support continued growth, connection to regional markets and the diversification of our economy. This day follows the diligent work of many stakeholders and we are proud to see this project moving to its next stage within the term of the Sixth Constitutional Government.” ENDS