The Investment
Major corporations from South East Asia are now moving to Papua New Guinea in order to setup shops for exports and enjoy a closer access to the resource. This move also appears as the depletion of their own resources comes into question.
Oceans in Crisis
Read about the "rise and possible fall of the Phillipines Tuna Capital." (2012)
More Information. Read how five of the eight tuna species are at risk of extinction (2012).
Read how "the subsidised Chinese tuna boats are driving the Pacific industry to the wall". (June 2013)
Read how "Ocean-grabbing" is as serious a threat as "land-grabbing" from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier de Schutter (2012).
Current Investment in PNG Tuna canneries
Investment in PNG's tuna have been implemented in two cities of PNG: Lae and Madang. While the development of the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang has been slowed down by a court case (which was withdrawn after plaintiffs were sent on a tour of the Phillipines in May 2013 - read more) and by an official complaint lodged to the Ombusdman of the private arm of the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation - a majority of the investment was redirected to Lae.
Access our Timeline with a full collection of articles on the Global Tuna game in PNG.
Investment In Madang
Nuigini Tuna Limited - Joint venture: RD Corporation (Phillipines), Fairwell Fishery Group of Taiwan, and Tri Marine International (Singapore). Learn More.
The French group Sapmer-Priou plans to invest 500 M$ in the PMIZ. Read more. Other source.
RD Tuna (RD Corporation through RD Tuna Canners and RD Fishing)
Read a social and economic impact report by Dr Nancy Sullivan (2003).
Investment In Lae
Frabelle (Phillipines)
International Food Corporation (Malaysia)
Majestic Seafood - Joint venture: Thai Union (Thailand), Frabelle (Philippines), Century Canning Corporation (Philippines)
Read how an investigation into Thai Union factories in Thailand revealed very serious breaches of human and workers rights (January 2013). Read the full report.
Since the publication of the report, one of the other exposed canning company (a pineapple cannery) has responded by filing a defamation case against a british researcher. Read More (May 2013).
Dongwon (South Korea)
Read how a Dongwon boat is accused of not only fishing illegally in Liberian waters in 2011 and 2012 but also forging government documents. (March 2013). More information.
Read about Dongwon plans to also invest in the Salomon islands.
Nambawan (Phillipines) - Joint venture (Trans Pacific Journey Fishing Corporation and TSP Marine Industries (TSP Livestock and Development Corporation). Read more.
Haili Sheng (China). Read more.
Investment in Wewak
South Seas Tuna Corporation (Taiwan, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea).
Read a Social Impact report on South Seas Tuna by Dr Nancy Sullivan (2005).
Plans for 6 Special Economic Zones
A report from the World Trade Organization highlighted plans from the PNG government to setup six special economic zones across the country. "Plans exist to establish six regional Special Economic Zones, and to amend the Free Trade Zone (FTZ) Act to allow for them. It was unclear whether tax incentives available in these estates extended beyond zero tariffs on imported inputs to other measures, such as income tax concessions." (p49). Read the report (2011, part 4).
To setup a Special Economic Zone in Madang for the PMIZ, the government needs to ammend the Free Trade Zone Act 2000, as currently a Free Trade Zone can only be implemented in the Gulf, Bougainville, West Sepik and Western Provinces (schedule 3). Read the Act.