Generally, warehousing space belongs to:

  - private transport companies

  - private retailers

  - government agencies (Tonga Defence Services, MOW, MIA)

While these operations generally use their storage capacities to the upmost, they may be able to provide ad-hoc support in time of emergencies.

The main storage capacities found in the country are using containers. The containers are easily available, either for rental or procurement.

Container storage is adequate for short-term storage

In the villages the churches are the most appropriate temporary storage facilities. Especially the Mormons churches are very solid and located in fenced and protected environment. Each village has many churches on its territory.

In addition to the many halls and churches available there are many suitable spaces such as sports grounds and vacant land that can be quickly identified for siting temporary storage facilities (MSU’s) close to populated areas.   

For more information on storage company contact details, please see the following link: HQ staff will input a link to section 4.6 Storage and Milling Companies Contact List here.

Commercial Storage 

There are few facilities that could be considered intermodal sites. At the ports there are the usual on-wharf container stacking areas and limited covered packing/unpacking facilities within the port precincts.

Some private sector transport companies and shipping lines have off-wharf container depots providing some consolidation into containers. There are also some industry specific warehouse and distribution centres but little in the way of common user stores.

The port operating company (Port Authority Tonga) have a storage facility of approx. 150 m² available for short term use. It is generally only full to capacity around December.

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organisations 

There is a planned shared warehouse to be purpose built and coordinated by NEMO to incorporate their offices and storage for prepositioning of some supplies.

This is envisaged to be completed in 2017-18 and will provide approximately 200m²  storage space.

Tonga Red Cross has a warehouse that they share space with CARITAS. It is in fair to poor repair. They anticipate moving there current stocks to NEMO’s proposed shared warehouse space when it is completed.

Public Sector Storage 

There is no public sector storage as such. The military and Ministry of Internal Affairs have limited storage space.

As per detailed narrative above, best emergency storage options will be churches and public halls that could be made available in all villages.

Cold Chain

There are no significant cold chain facilities available. Recommendation is to ship refrigerated containers if this facility is required for large-scale storage of vaccines or medicine.