The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$24.4 million grant to rehabilitate Port Vila’s wharf road in Vanuatu, a crucial commercial artery that was severely damaged by the December 2024 Port Vila earthquake. The funding, confirmed in mid-December 2025, is expected to play a central role in re-establishing reliable freight movements, reducing business costs and strengthening the overall resilience of the nation’s trade infrastructure.
Port Vila’s wharf road provides essential access between the capital’s seaport facilities and the broader road network, carrying the bulk of Vanuatu’s imports and exports. In the aftermath of the 7.3-magnitude quake, the road suffered landslides and structural damage that led to closures and severe disruptions to logistics operations. With parts of the corridor blocked and unstable, shipping delays mounted and transport costs rose as businesses were forced to reroute freight or absorb longer waiting times. The disruptions compounded recovery challenges and added to inflationary pressures in the markets for fuel, food and construction materials.
ADB’s grant will support reconstruction to higher, disaster-resilient standards. The upgraded design aims not only to restore pre-quake connectivity, but also to embed climate adaptation and disaster-risk reduction features that are expected to reduce future repair costs and interruptions. Enhanced drainage, slope stabilisation and reinforced pavement structures are among the planned improvements aimed at withstanding landslides, tropical cyclones and seismic shocks.
ADB’s regional Pacific liaison director Jyotsana Varma said reinstating access to the wharf road is “transformative” for Vanuatu’s economy, pointing to benefits for trade, tourism and community connectivity. Restoring the corridor is expected to reinvigorate logistics confidence among importers, exporters and freight operators, which in turn can lower supply lead times and encourage private investment in related sectors.
The grant is funded through ADB’s Asian Development Fund and includes technical assistance to strengthen government capacity for resilient infrastructure planning. Co-financing from Australia, New Zealand and the World Bank illustrates continuing international support for Vanuatu’s post-disaster recovery.
Business leaders and transport operators have long emphasised the importance of a reliable wharf road for cost-competitive trade flows, particularly as the tourism sector gradually recovers and demand for imported inputs grows. Rehabilitating this strategic link is widely seen as a foundational step in Vanuatu’s medium-term economic recovery and private-sector confidence building.
Main image: courtesy UNDP website
