Disasters, Conflicts and Migration 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities 

The main seasonal effects on transport are climatic, occurring during the rainy season (November to April) when roads are subject to flooding and damage due to heavy rain. This may limit access to villages and small towns. During this period, inter-island sea and air transport may also be disrupted due to the cyclonic effects of high seas and strong winds. 

The main seasonal effects on storage and handling are climatic, occurring during the rainy season (November to April) when food supplies may be damaged due to exposure during handling and/or transportation. 

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response 

GOVERNMENT 

The Vanuatu Government uses the Disaster Risk Management Act 2019 to regulate the management of disasters and for related purposes. The Act establishes the National Disaster Committee, the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO), the National Emergency Operations Center and the National Cluster Framework and National Cluster. 

The NDMO is the government agency that leads on coordination of responses to emergencies and disasters across Vanuatu and sits under the Ministry of Climate Change. The NDMO works closely with local and international Non-Government Organisations helping communities to be disaster resilient in the development and strengthening of disaster risk reduction and disaster management plans, including mitigation, response, relief and recovery.  

During emergencies, the NDMO works with the private sector and partners for telecommunications, transportation and warehousing requirements. Local and international military assets are only accessible through the NDMO with the endorsement of the Joint Police Operations Centre. Clusters submit all requests for transportation, relief supplies, etc to NDMO using the Request for Assistance form. The NDMO Standard Operating Procedures itemises individual agencies responsibilities in the Emergency Operations Centre. Roles and responsibilities are clearly outlined for both the individual and agency levels. 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

HUMANITARIAN COMMUNITY 

The Vanuatu Humanitarian Community, also known as the Vanuatu Humanitarian Team (VHT) consists of a network of agencies committed to effective humanitarian coordination, disaster preparedness and humanitarian response. The VHT is convened by Oxfam and its members include the Vanuatu Red Cross, Vanuatu Association of NGOs, UNICEF, Oxfam, CARE International, Save the Children, Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), the World Health Organization (WHO), PeaceCorps, World Vision and Act for Peace, IOM and UN OCHA. 

For more information on humanitarian agency contact details, please see the following link: 4.2 Humanitarian Agency Contact List. 

Department of Customs and Inland Revenue 

Responsible for facilitating the clearance of emergency relief items (by air and sea) once proper documents are provided by NDMO. Also responsible for the waiver of customs duties and VAT for all items purchased externally for humanitarian assistance. 

Biosecurity Vanuatu 

Responsible for safeguarding Vanuatu’s borders from foreign pests and diseases. Facilitates quarantine clearance of emergency relief items brought in via air and sea. 

Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator 

Responsible for regulating telecommunications, radiocommunications and broadcasting services. Also responsible for managing the radio-frequency spectrum. 

Ministry of Health 

Leads and coordinates the national Health Cluster with WHO as co-lead. Responsible for coordinating and conducting post-disaster field assessment as required, coordination of international medical personnel and inspection of food items before general food distribution (checking expiry dates). Also responsible for coordinating the management of deceased persons, provision of primary health care and public health services. Provides regular status reports to NDMO which inform situation reports. 

For more information on regulatory departments and quality control laboratories’ contact details, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.3 Laboratory and Quality Testing Company Contact List

Duties and Tax Exemption 

For contact information regarding government custom authorities, please follow the link below:  

4.1 Government Contact List 

Emergency Response: 

[Note: This section contains information which is related and applicable to ‘crisis’ times. These instruments can be applied when an emergency is officially declared by the Government.  When this occurs, there is usually a streamlined process to import goods duty and tax free.] 

In the following table, state which of the following agreements and conventions apply to the country and if there are any other existing ones. 

Exemption Regular Regime (Non-Emergency Response):  

[Note: This section should contain information on the usual duties & taxes exemption regime during non-emergency times, when there is no declared state of emergency and no streamlines process (e.g. regular importations/development/etc.).] 

The Department of Customs and Inland Revenue (DCIR) is part of the Vanuatu public service and reports through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management to the Public Service Commission. The Department has over 150 employees and its organisational structure is given below. 

The DCIR’s work is governed by several legislations including the Import Duties (Consolidation) Act [CAP 91], Customs Act no.7 of 2013, Customs Valuation Act no.8 of 1999, Excise Tax Act no.24 of 2002, Export Duties Act (Cap 31) and the Tax Administration Act no.37 of 2018. Under Part 3 of Schedule 1 of the Import Duties Act [CAP 91], the Director of NDMO is the designated authority to approve any person or organisation who wishes to import goods into Vanuatu. 

The goods must be: 

• for disaster relief; 

• funded by foreign states or international organisations; and 

• intended for free distribution in disaster declared areas. 

In April 2023, the Automated System for Relief Emergency Consignments (ASYREC) was launched by the DCIR in partnership with NDMO and the Australia Governance for Growth Programme. Once operational, ASYREC will be automatically activated when Vanuatu makes a request for international assistance or accepts an offer of international assistance. ASYREC will expedite the movement of humanitarian relief items into the communities. 

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure:  

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements 

Customs Clearance 

General Information  

Customs Clearance Document Requirements 

Transit Regime 

There is no transit regime within the Customs Act 2013. 

Challenges 

• Notification of arrival of relief items – As per Customs Act, the notification time to Customs for items coming by sea is 3 days before arrival and by air is 3 hours before arrival. During emergency response times, these timeframes are usually ignored with some notifications being sent to Customs 30 minutes before a plane lands. 

• Unknown goods – Sometimes relief items are sent to Vanuatu without informing NDMO beforehand. These items will not be cleared by Customs which will lead to storage issues. In most cases, Customs will seize the items and dispose of it through appropriate means. 

• Documentation – Some donated relief items arrive in Vanuatu with no or incomplete documentation. This prolongs the clearance process and the ASYCUDA system will not accept incomplete registrations. 

There are two international ports in Vanuatu: Port of Port Vila in Efate Island (Shefa Province) and the Port of Luganville in Espiritu Santo Island (Sanma Province). The Port of Port Vila is the principal port and consists of one multipurpose wharf to handle cruise ships and oil tankers and the newly constructed Lapetasi wharf which handles international cargo vessels. A smaller wharf is still under construction, and it will cater for domestic inter-island cargo carriers. 

The Port of Luganville handles dry and wet cargoes. The port is government-owned and is known for the import of general goods and oils and the export of fish, beef and copra. The Port of Luganville has facilities for accommodating cruise ships and oil tankers carrying crude oil. 

Vanuatu has four ports that offer customs and immigration clearance to yachts: Port of Port Vila on Efate, Port of Luganville on Espiritu Santo, Sola Port on Vanua Lava and Port Resolution on Tanna. 

Besides the ports, cruise ships can also moor at the anchorage near the Mystery islands and close to Champagne Beach. During diving season (April to June), vessels can moor at Pangi in Penama Province. 

There are three international airports in Vanuatu: 

• Efate Island (Port Vila): Bauerfield International Airport 

• Espiritu Santo Island: Santo International Airport 

• Tanna Island: Whitegrass Airport 

Key airport information may also be found at: http://worldaerodata.com/ 

Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL) is the agency responsible for managing the three internationally accredited airports in Vanuatu. Scope of responsibilities include upgrading the international airports, ensuring the safety and security of aircrafts and passengers, providing all air traffic control, aviation security, aviation rescue firefighting, navigation and communications services to full international ICAO standards and training Ni-Vanuatu personnel in aviation skills. 

For more information on government agency and airport company contact information, please see the following links: 4.1 Government Contact List and 4.5 Airport Companies Contact List.  

Apart from the three international airports, there are 24 other landing strips, but these are managed by the Public Works Department within the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities. Agents may be appointed by Public Works to maintain the airstrips. 

Following natural disasters such as tropical cyclones, volcanic eruptions, ashfall, etc, landing strips must be cleared for operations before flights can resume and these may take a few weeks. National situation reports issued by the National Disaster Management Office during an emergency response will indicate the status of landing strips around the country. 

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft 

For an aircraft intending to stay and operate in Vanuatu one month or more, registration is required from the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu (CAAV). 

Civil Aviation Department, Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities: 

Tel: +678 22819 

Fax: +678 23783 

Email: civav@vanuatu.com.vu  

Website: www.airports.vu  

For an emergency medivac aircraft arriving, a 24-hour notification must be provided to Airports Vanuatu Limited (AVL) for landing approval. 

For aircrafts arriving to assist with national emergencies, a 72-hour notification must be provided to AVL for landing approval. The absolute minimum is 24 hours. This applies to military aircrafts, maritime patrol aircrafts, cargo planes delivering relief supplies and dignitaries. 

Non-Scheduled International Flights 

Step 1: Request for landing approval 

Request for landing approval to the Flight Approval Office via email to: 

• GM-OPS: gmops@airports.vu 

Step 2: Choose a ground handling agent 

Choose a ground handling agent who will assist you with the required steps - aircraft approval, aircraft arrival and departure times, apron marshalling, parking, customs, immigration, biosecurity and fee payments:  

• Vanuatu Terminal Services: rwane@vts.vu; jsam@vts.vu  

• Air Vanuatu Operations: rhaoul@airvanuatu.vu  

Step 3: Provide your flight information 

The Flight Approval Office will require you to provide the following information: 

• Aircraft type and registration 

• Aircraft call sign (if any) or use registration 

• Aircraft operator details 

• Arrival and departure aerodromes 

• Estimated arrival time and date 

• Estimated departure time and date 

• Purpose of flight: humanitarian assistance, technical stop, business, etc 

Step 4: Calculate your charges 

• Aerodrome charges: 

• Flight approval: VUV 5,000 

• Landing charges outside daylight hours: VUV 16,500 

• Air navigation service charge: VUV 50 per 1,000 kg or part thereof 

• ATS service outside operating hours of watch: VUV 20,000 

• Aircraft parking: 

• Departing passengers: VUV 3,400 per person 

• Ground handling and border control services have their own fee schedule. For more details, please contact them directly. 

Step 5: Make your payment 

All charges payable on arrival and prior to departure must be paid by the pilot in command of the aircraft to the ground handler or authorised AVL officer at the airport, unless by prior arrangement. 

Runways 

The runways across the 27 airports vary in size and surface. Most islands are only capable of receiving BN-2 Islander / twin otters, while others may handle an ATR aircraft. 

Infrastructure 

• Most airstrips do not have lighting, air traffic control or navigation aids, firefighting equipment or perimeter fencing. It is land by sight only, so bad weather may prevent landings. 

• Air Vanuatu provides ground handling and a check-in agent for its flights only. 

• The terminal building in most airstrips may consist of a building with a set of scales and a small baggage trolley. 

Fuel Service Charges 

Fuel services are not readily available for unscheduled flights. It is important for emergency response aircrafts to order fuel supplies several days in advance in Vanuatu. 

Refuelling services for aircrafts are only available in Port Vila and Espiritu Santo. All aircrafts must carry enough fuel to return to these locations to refuel. There is a fuel depot at Whitegrass Airport, but refuelling service is only available for the Twin Otter and BN-2 Islander. 

The Air Vanuatu domestic flight route map below depicts all services that start and finish in either Santo or Port Vila. 

Find below the estimated cost of jet fuel as at 19 July 2023. 

The Public Works Department (PWD), within the Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Utilities, is responsible for the building and maintenance of roads in Vanuatu. The overall road network length managed by PWD is 2,958.6 km. This includes feeder and arterial roads (feeder = 1,704.3 km, arterial = 1,254.3 km). The actual road network length is not known as there are many gravel and earth roads on the islands which are not maintained by PWD. Total roads declared as at 28 August 2023 is 2,906.2 km. 

Find below status of roads on the following major islands: 

Efate – sealed ring road around the island. Within Shefa Province, all bridges are currently working. 

Espiritu Santo – sealed road from Luganville to Port Olry. 

Tanna – gravel road from Whitegrass International Airport to Green Hill in the north, sealed roads from Lenakel to Imaki in the south and Lenakel to Snake Hill in the east. 

Malekula – sealed road from Norsup to Pushman’s Bay (central part of island). 

Pentecost – the roads, particularly to the north, can be impassable after persistent heavy rain. There are numerous ports along the west coast to enable supplies to reach villages. 

Service delivery in rural areas is constrained by expensive and limited transport infrastructure and transport services. Rural road infrastructure is impacted during tropical cyclone and heavy rain events and the resulting poor road conditions drive up transport costs, hindering access to much needed services. 

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link: 4.1 Government Contact List. 

Distance Matrix 

Road Security 

The maximum speed limit is 50 km per hour around the towns and 80 km per hour outside town areas. 

In Vanuatu, traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road, i.e. people drive in the right-hand lane and overtake on the left. Oncoming traffic comes toward you on the left side. 

There are no issues with civil unrest in Vanuatu. Roads can be slippery and flooded during the wet season. Some roads can be impassable after heavy rain events. 

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits 

There are no weighbridges in Vanuatu. 

Road Class and Surface Conditions 

Road Class and Surface Conditions

(FOLLOWING INFORMATION FROM 2017)

The following table depicts the length (km), types and condition of roads in each province:

The two most populated islands have sealed roads.

Efate has a sealed ring road around the island.

Santo was sealed from Luganville to Port Olry, which has more than halved the travel time to the tourist destination.

In Tanna, CCECC is currently working on gravelling and sealing the roads from Lenekel to the North until Green, South until Imaki, and to the East until Snake Hill. The work is slow going due to the terrain and wet season. After TC Cook (2017) the road to the North was impassable, and the port of Kwamera was unreachable, where road works had not been conducted yet.

In Malekula, the R4D improved the road from Norsup to Lamap in Malekula as part of phase one of the project. It was identified that it would need more gravel in order for it to be maintained.

CCECC offered a loan to seal the road, however the project has been unsuccessful and worsened road conditions. They are almost impassable in sections during the wet season and 4WDs must be used. After TC Cook the Norsup airport could not be reached from the south.

It is understood that CCEECC has halted the project in Malekula and it is unclear if the roads will be left unsealed in its current condition. This means access from the main airport to the major ports and communities in Malekula is extremely slow and difficult.

The roads in Pentecost, particularly to the North, can be impassable after persistent heavy rains. There are numerous ports along the west coast to enable supplies to reach villages.

The storage capacity in Vanuatu is limited. The two main centres of Port Vila and Luganville have a few storage areas. Shops are family-sized and therefore do not offer sufficient storage space. Bigger companies with warehouses are generally full as they are only replenished three or four times a year. 

For more information on storage company contact details, please see the following link:  4.6 Storage and Milling Companies Contact List. 

Commercial Storage 

There is limited commercial storage available in Port Vila and Santo. As a last resort, it may be possible to temporarily use the cruise ship terminal building in Espiritu Santo if cruise ships have been halted following a disaster. 

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organizations 

Storage costs are high in Vanuatu. Humanitarian organisations prefer to store relief items on their own premises where possible, to avoid rental fees. 

Humanitarian organisations in Vanuatu include but are not limited to ADRA, Oxfam, Save the Children, Red Cross, CARE International, Caritas and World Vision. 

Non-food items stored include but are not limited to hygiene kits, tarpaulins, tents, blankets, shelter tool kits, generators, mosquito nets, etc. 

[1] Warehouse Type: Open storage, container, rub-hall, silo, concrete, other, unspecified 

[2] Warehouse Access: Raised-siding, flat 

[3] Warehouse condition: Appears intact, appears damaged, under construction/repair 

Public Sector Storage 

The Ministry of Health has a central medical storage facility in Port Vila. The facility is strictly dedicated to medical supplies only. 

[1] Warehouse Type: Open storage, container, rub-hall, silo, concrete, other, unspecified 

[2] Warehouse Access: Raised-siding, flat 

[3] Warehouse condition: Appears intact, appears damaged, under construction/repair 

Port Vila: During the emergency response to Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin in 2023, the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) used the Vanuatu X-FOL Fitness Center (map below) in Port Vila as the warehouse to store food and non-food items received and bought by the Government for the response. The Center is secure as it is a fenced indoor gymnasium, and it has sufficient space to also store a few containers (refer to photo below). 

Cartons of water stored at X-FOL warehouse during 2023 response to TC Judy and Kevin 

Buckets of crackers stored at X-FOL warehouse during 2023 response to TC Judy and Kevin 

Espiritu Santo: As the NDMO in Espiritu Santo does not have a dedicated storage facility, the normal practice has been for relief supplies to be taken directly to the affected communities for storage and distribution. At the community level, community halls, copra sheds, Chiefs’ Nakamal, women’s centres and containers have been used as storage facilities. The only downside to this is that it becomes hard to track relief items as there are too many storage sites being used. Schools and churches are reserved to be utilised as evacuation centres. There is a potential MSU site beside the Santo National Disaster Management Office within the Sanma Provincial Council compound (refer to photo below). 

Potential MSU site beside the NDMO in Santo 

Tanna: The NDMO used three buildings owned by the Vanuatu Sports Commission during the response to Tropical Cyclones Judy and Kevin in 2023. The buildings were divided with the first building storing non-food items, the second storing cartons of water and the third storing dry food items (refer to photo below). The sports ground provides a potential MSU site, if needed. 

Building 1 storing non-food items during 2023 response to TC Judy and Kevin 

Cold Chain 

There are currently no cold chain options identified for relief supplies. Most storage sites may not have electricity or refrigeration during the first few days or weeks following a natural disaster e.g. tropical cyclone. Reefers with generators may need to be used as a temporary solution in an emergency for temperature-sensitive supplies such as vaccines. 

Fuel Overview 

The Pacific Energy Group established itself in Vanuatu following the acquisition of Shell’s assets in 2006, Mobil’s assets in 2007 and BP’s assets in 2010. Since then, Pacific Energy has made a lot of investments in Vanuatu including the construction of a 2 km long pipeline between the Port of Port Vila and the Pacific Energy depot to allow direct supply by tankers, as well as the expansion of fuel storage capacities in Port Vila and Santo. The Pacific Energy Group has two depots in Vanuatu with a combined storage capacity of 17.2 million litres. The Group employs 100 employees, operates 36 gas stations and provides refuelling at the two biggest airports in Vanuatu – Bauerfield International Airport and Santo International Airport. 

The Pacific Energy Group has signed supply contracts with major international oil companies to ensure the continuity of its supply given its significant reliance on imported fuels. It has also developed its own shipping company, Orient Oil Express Ltd, which operates several oil tankers in the Pacific region. The Group also leans on renown laboratories for constant monitoring of the fuel quality, including aviation, from placement on board in the refinery’s marine terminal, to delivery in its depots, gas stations and the final client. [Source: https://p.energy/vanuatu/?lang=en] 

Origin Energy Vanuatu is an Australian energy company that has been active in Vanuatu since 2005 through its ownership of a 50% stake in the Vanuatu Gas Joint Venture which was formed to explore and develop offshore gas fields in Vanuatu with the aim of supplying gas to the local market for electricity generation and industrial use. The Pango gas field is located approximately 7 km offshore from Port Vila. The use of natural gas as a fuel source has allowed Vanuatu to reduce its reliance on imported diesel fuel. [Source: https://myvanuatudirectory.com/listing/origin-energy-vanuatu/]  

Increasing fuel prices and inflation are continuously highlighted as a shared concern across the Pacific pre- and post-COVID-19. Vanuatu’s energy sector is characterised by low access, high relative prices, and significant reliance on imported fuels. Vanuatu imports over 60 million litres of fuel/petroleum per year, with approximately 33 million litres of diesel for transport and there are no regulations on petroleum standards, pricing and fuel. Vanuatu is already importing Euro 5 quality fuel. Vanuatu’s dependence on imported fuel creates security of supply risks (potential for fuel supply interruptions) as well as affordability problems for customers. [Source: https://www.spc.int/updates/news/media-release/2023/05/pacific-island-countries-share-challenges-in-sustainable#:~:text=Director%20Garae%20explained%20that%20Vanuatu,standards%2C%20pricing%2C%20and%20fuels.]  

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links:  4.1 Government Contact List and 4.7 Fuel Providers Contact List. 

Fuel Pricing 

There are no regulations in Vanuatu on petroleum standards, pricing and fuels. 

Seasonal Variations  

Fuel Transportation 

• Port Vila: Every 50 days a 45,000 tonnes fuel ship arrives. 

• Santo: Every 100 days a fuel ship arrives. 

• Port Vila and Santo airports: AVGAS and Jet A1 fuel are delivered by trucks to the airports. 

• Emergency aircraft re-fuelling: A 24-hour notice must be given to request fuel to be delivered to the aircraft. 

• <100 m3 capacity ship: Fuel is delivered by truck to the wharf. 

• >100 m3 capacity ship: Planes are used to refuel the ship. 

The current capacity can meet the local needs as well as any increases in demand from the humanitarian community. 

Standards, Quality and Testing 

Fuel testing facilities are limited in Vanuatu. To meet international requirements, aircraft fuel samples are sent to New Zealand for quality assurance testing.  

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider. 

Land transportation services in Vanuatu is dominated by individual business owners operating public transport services, such as buses and taxi services. The major road transport/logistics companies are limited and are in Port Vila on Efate Island and in Luganville on Espiritu Santo Island where the international ports and airports are located. 

The current capacity meets domestic needs for now. During the twin cyclones in March 2023, the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) used land transportation from both government and the private sector to transport relief items from the ports of entry to the warehouse and on to the distribution centres. 

During an emergency, access to hard-to-reach areas, such as where base transceiver stations (BTS) are located in the outer islands, would require helicopters. This can be facilitated by foreign military assets (if these have been deployed to Vanuatu). 

For more information on transport company contact details, please see the following link: 4.8 Transporter Contact List. 

The Government of Vanuatu Public Works Department (PWD) has a few trucks and heavy lifting / earthmoving equipment positioned in Efate and Espiritu Santo which can be used for road clearance and other emergency response needs. All requests for assistance during an emergency must be coordinated through the NDMO who will liaise with the PWD. 

Some suppliers who can assist during an emergency response to provide transportation of goods purchased from their stores to the ports and airports are given below. Note that this is not an exhaustive list. 

Au Bon Marché, Port Vila 

Au Bon Marché (ABM) is a family-owned company that has grown from a small store to a leading supermarket chain on Efate Island. ABM’s wholesale division distributes throughout Port Vila and a few other bigger islands in Vanuatu with ten delivery trucks. ABM has assisted the NDMO in the past in delivering food supplies purchased from ABM for emergency response to the wharf. 

Wilco Hardware, Port Vila and Espiritu Santo 

Wilco Limited is in Port Vila on Efate and Luganville on Espiritu Santo. Considered as one of the largest hardware suppliers in Vanuatu, Wilco supplies over 10,000 products and serves over 60% of Vanuatu’s population. Wilco Hardware has delivery trucks available. 

Port Vila Hardware, Port Vila 

For the last 35 years, Port Vila Hardware has been meeting requests for hardware materials from the local building companies, government ministries, public and private schools, local companies and private individuals. Port Vila Hardware has delivery trucks available. 

Santo Hardware, Espiritu Santo 

Santo Hardware began in the early 1990’s. The company has grown steadily over the years to now a comprehensive range of items with good stockholdings. Santo Hardware has delivery trucks available. 

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider. 

Food and Additional Suppliers 

Increasing local food production can assist with emergency response in Vanuatu and this would require creating mechanisms to ensure that communities have access to sufficient food immediately after a disaster hits. Following Tropical Cyclone Harold in 2020, three food baskets were established: Sara food basket in North Pentecost, Namaram food basket and Malolo food basket in South Pentecost. The Malolo food basket has since assisted a lot of people in Penama Province during the Manaro volcano ash fall and other natural disasters. Following the twin cyclones Judy and Kevin in March 2023, 300 Vanuatu Golden Hybrid yams were ready for harvest from the Sara food basket which greatly assisted communities in Penama Province. [Source: https://www.dailypost.vu/news/local_news/provincial-food-baskets-to-support-farmers-in-cyclone-affected-areas/article_3384c538-6d77-5077-89a6-372abaca4619.html]  

Top exports in 2021 were non-fillet frozen fish, special purpose ships, passenger and cargo ships, perfume plants and molluscs exporting mostly to Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Cyprus and China. In 2021, the merchandise exports increased by 16.7% nominally. 

Top imports in 2021 were refined petroleum, fishing ships, poultry meat, delivery trucks and sawn wood importing mostly from China, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Singapore. In 2021, Vanuatu’s merchandise imports increased by 12.9% nominally. 

Generic country information can be located from sources which are regularly maintained and reflect current facts and figures. For a general overview of country data related to the service and supply sectors, please consult the following sources: 

The Observatory of Economic Complexity – MIT (OEC): https://oec.world/en/profile/country/vut  

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.  

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider. 

Manual Labour 

There are two main categories of employment contracts in Vanuatu: 

• Fixed term contracts – definite start and end date; and 

• Open-ended contracts – start date but no set end date. 

Although employers in Vanuatu often refer to full time, part-time and casual employees, Vanuatu’s law does not define these terms and benefits such as paid leave and severance allowance are only available to employees in continuous employment. 

Find below the normal working hours. 

• Normal maximum working hours a week: 44 hours per week 

• Maximum working hours a day: 8 hours per day excluding break times 

• Maximum number of days a week to work: 6 days 

If the employee is required to work extra hours, e.g. during an emergency response, the total hours worked must not exceed 56 hours per week. 

The key national legislation for employment and labour in Vanuatu is the Employment Act. The key legislation for wages is the Minimum Wages and Minimum Wages Board Act. In 2023, the Government of Vanuatu, employers’ and workers’ organisations and civil society are working together on the development of a National Employment Policy to address issues such as skills development, labour market information and analysis systems and social protection. 

The Vanuatu Council of Trade Unions (VCTU) is the sole national trade union center, and it is affiliated to the International Trade Union Confederation. The VCTU is active. 

Volunteers are usually engaged during an emergency response to work at the storage and distribution sites. 

Telecommunications 

For Vanuatu’s telecommunications sector, mobile internet has created opportunities for doing business and accessing life enhancing services. COVID-19 reaffirmed the importance of internet connectivity and digitisation of services in Vanuatu. 

Telecommunication operators play a vital role in supporting the Government of Vanuatu to provide important services and robust networks during an emergency response. The telecommunications sector has witnessed an improvement in data packages and bundling confirming the continuous investments by operators to meet the increasing demand. 

Generally, the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) in Vanuatu is only activated 24 hours before an emergency or disaster such as a cyclone. The ETC is led by the Office of Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO) and co-led by the Telecommunications Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR). The Chief Information Officer within the OGCIO reports directly to the Prime Minister. 

The National Disaster Management Office (NDMO) currently uses the Vanuatu Government National Broadband Network which consists of HF and VHF. In the outer islands, HF and VHF equipment are only located in the police stations. 

For more information on telecommunications contacts, please see the following link: 4.11 Additional Services Contact List. 

Telecommunications Regulations 

The TRBR is the statutory body that regulates telecommunications, radiocommunications and broadcasting services in Vanuatu under the Telecommunications, Radiocommunications and Broadcasting Regulations Act 30 2009. 

A radio licence, issued by TRBR, is required for every radio transmitting equipment and radio frequency emitting device except for certain categories of telecommunications equipment and radiocommunications transmitting devices which fall under the General User Radio Licences. 

For the importation and licensing of humanitarian communications equipment: VSAT, HF, VHF, Thuraya, etc, humanitarian agencies must submit a request to TRBR for an exemption before bringing equipment into Vanuatu (including equipment being brought in for trainings). This will enable the agency to bring the equipment through Customs. The TRBR will also require that the agency apply for a Radio Apparatus License. Note that there may be a fee for obtaining the license. 

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems 

Apart from the above, Vanuatu Red Cross Society has some VHF equipment including 12 handhelds and two portable repeater kits. 

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 

Wantok, Pacific Link Limited, SPIM, 3 Link and Aelan Internet currently provide fixed internet services in urban and rural areas. 

Humanitarian agencies and staff can easily access the internet through affordable data subscriptions with either Digicel or Vodafone. Staff members would only have to purchase a SIM card and select a data bundle that would meet their specific needs. Digicel and Vodafone kiosks are located at the Bauerfield International Airport. Average costs for a Vanuatu SIM card are given below: 

• Digicel: VUV 200 (US$ 1.70) 

• Vodafone: VUV 250 (US$ 2.10) 

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) 

Digicel and Vodafone continue to serve both urban and rural areas through the provision of mobile and fixed internet services. 

As part of the response to Tropical Cyclone Judy and Tropical Cyclone Kevin in March 2023, the Vanuatu Government also disbursed cash relief to affected communities through Vanuatu Post. The assistance required that heads of households register using their national identification card. The Government used Starlink Internet to cope with connectivity challenges during the cash distribution. 

For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website.