A new airstrip on Rotuma Island, Fiji, is expected to change the face of domestic travel, dramatically increasing the size of aircraft that can now visit the island, and the number of passengers these can carry.
Since June 2017, GHD's aviation team has provided construction supervision and environmental impact assessment services to Fiji Airports for the new sealed runway, which has been identified as a project of national significance.
There was much to celebrate as the ribbon was cut by Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama on Monday 29 October, 2018. The new airstrip opens up travel, economic and social opportunities for Rotuma, and is the first major infrastructure project delivered by our Fiji office.
"We should never underestimate the pivotal connective role an airport plays when considering the social and economic links our pacific island communities depend on to prosper," says James Palmer, GHD Country Manager, Fiji.
The new 1400 m chip-sealed pavement runway at Malhaha, Rotuma, will increase seating capacity on the weekly flight from 7 to 68, improving connections for the Rotuman people to the main Fijian islands.
The airstrip has been a work-in-progress for 40 years, having been halted a number of times due to challenges with Rotuma's isolation and resulting cost factors.