Disasters, Conflicts and Migration

For a more detailed database on disasters by country, please see the Centre for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters Country Profile. 

Seasonal Effects on Logistics Capacities

Heavy rains may result in damage during loading/unloading and transporting perishable goods. During wet season however this is not a major constraint.

Capacity and Contacts for In-Country Emergency Response

Government

The Office Of The President has oversight of the National Disaster Management Office (NDMO). It has a Risk Management Plan in place and is working with UN agencies to formalise Standard Operating Procedures to ensure they are able to work in conjunction with UN agencies and other humanitarian organisations in case of disaster relief operations. These are scheduled to be in place later in 2018. 

There is no military force and no defence or civil defence assets. Police have a patrol boat that is utilised in emergency rescue and work in conjunction with the NDMO in the case of major relief operations.

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

Humanitarian Community

Red Cross Society and UNICEF have staff based permanently in Kiribati. Red Cross has 2 containers of NFI prepositioned. They coordinate closely with the NDMO.

UNICEF has an ongoing WASH programme in schools and works closely with Government.

The Mormon Church provides water tanks and has some small stocks of relief materials.

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

Kiribati Customs Information

The Customs head office is in the port town of Betio. They have staff based at Bonriki and Cassidy international airports in addition to the ports of Betio and English Harbour (Ronton). They will operate 24/7 as and if required.

Port customs clearance can be facilitated prior to arrival, otherwise clearance at port can generally be achieved day of arrival. The goal of Customs is to be operating in the ASYCUDA system and to become a WCO member in 2018.

Customs Legislation

See website for copies of the legislation http://www.vertic.org/media/National%20Legislation/Kiribati/KI_Customs_Act.pdf

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.).]

Under the Value Added Tax Act 2013 Import duties have been phased out in favour of a general VAT. 

Duty is waived for Aid donors or similar agreements under signature of MFED.

Exemptions from VAT can be obtained for humanitarian and aid goods by applying to the Controller Of Customs with a letter stating the nature and purpose of such goods. This request will generally be facilitated within a day or days. 

All NGO humanitarian agencies are able to operate in the country and apply for tax free importation of aid goods

Exemption Certificate Application Procedure: 

Response times for applications are generally within 2 -3 days.

Exemption Certificate Document Requirements

Customs Clearance

General Information 

Customs Clearance Document Requirements

Requirements are the same for UN and NGOs

1 copy of documents required

Transit Regime

There is no official transit regime for goods in Kiribati. It is not practically a transit country for any other destinations given its geographic location.

Other Ministries

Ministry of Education (ME)

Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperatives (MCIC)

Ministry of Labour and Human Resources Development (MLHRD)

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 here.

There is no operating commercial railroad in Kiribati.

Kiribati Ports Authority (KPA) operates the two main ports-of-entry. The first is on Tarawa right at the edge of Betio lagoon, which also accommodates the main headquarter office. Port capacity is limited by port handling equipment. There are no dock cranes. Feasibility of further port development to provide deep water berthing sufficient for larger international ships is under study although the cost would be substantial. 

The second port-of-entry, Navy Harbour, is located at London (Ronton) on Christmas Island to serve the Line and Phoenix Islands.

Both ports have customs present and import and export cargo primarily using 20 foot containers utilising ships’ onboard cranes.

There is a third port, the Port of Banaba (Ocean Island), that was primarily used to facilitate the export of phosphate for fertiliser from the island. Since that resource has been depleted it is now only used by inter-island shipping to service the resident population of 280. It can only accommodate small boats that transfer goods from larger ships anchored offshore.

All the outer islands require larger ships to anchor off and transfer cargo using small boats to beach landings or jetties.

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

There are 2 international airports in Kiribati: 

•  Bonriki International Airport on Tarawa Island
• Cassidy International Airport on Kiritimati Island
   

 Additionally Kiribati has another 22 domestic airports, 19 of which are recognised by IATA and/or ICAO ,and 18 that provide scheduled domestic airline services.

Butaritari, Abemama, Tabiteuea North and Nikunau airfields can all accommodate up to Dash 8 aircraft; the remainder are limited to Twin Otter aircraft. Kanton is currently being upgraded to accommodate up to 737 aircraft.

Problems are experienced periodically with maintenance at outer island airstrips, but local capacity is adequate to handle these problems using equipment available to island councils.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Kiribati, known as a Civil Aviation Division a Governmental divisions under the Ministry of Information, Communications, Transport and Tourism Development (MICTTD),  is responsible for all Aviation activities in the country including the facilitation of requests for non-scheduled International Air operators wishing to use the Kiribati airport (landing permit) or Kiribati Airspace (Overfly Permit).   

Kiribati Aviation Investment Project (KAIP) has a project that aims to improve operational safety and oversight of international air transport infrastructure in Kiribati. This will include the upgrade of the Bonriki terminal in South Tarawa and a larger terminal and more sophisticated screening facilities at Cassidy International Airport on Christmas Island. The funding will also allow for the completion of seawall works on the Tarawa runway to protect from coastal erosion.

Overall, international capacity is adequate for current requirements. On a national level there is an ongoing plan to ensure all inhabited islands are serviced by air.

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

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft

1. CAAK is responsible for landing permits in respect to non-scheduled flights. 

2. In regards to the Kiribati upper airspace, Airports Fiji Limited (AFL) provides oceanic Air Traffic Management (ATM) services in the upper airspace of the Nadi Flight Information Region (FIR). The sovereign territories of Kiribati lie within the Nadi FIR, therefore, it's AFL that controls the Kiribati upper airspace. Please liaise with them on this matter. 

3. For the registration of foreign aircrafts, please refer to the attached file for more information.   

Additionally, the CAAK requires  3-5 working days to process landing permits. Listed below are the documents needed when applying for a landing permit:

a) copy of general declaration; 

b) a valid certificate of airworthiness for an aircraft;

c) a valid aircraft insurance;

d) certificate of registration;

e) passport biodata of crews and passengers.  

A landing fee and parking fee is part of this process.  A landing fee shall be payable in respect to any landing of an aircraft at a specified airport on each journey from a place outside and within Kiribati, at the following rate:

a) at a maximum take-off weight (MTW) of up to 5,700 kg : $15 (fixed)

b) from 5,701 kg to 15,000 kg: $5.00 per 1,000 kg or part thereof

c) from 15,001 kg to 40,000 kg: $6.00 per 1,000 kg or part thereof

d) from 40,001 kg to 50,000 kg: $7.50 per 1,000 kg or part thereof

e) above 50,000 kg: $15.00 per 1,000 kg or part thereof.  

Parking fees for such visiting aircrafts will be charged at a rate of $100.00 for the first three hours and beyond that, at a rate of $10.00 per hour or part thereof. 

For more information on procedures for foreign registered aircraft, please see the following attachments: 5.2 Appendix Foreign Air Transport Operator Certification

The main island of Tarawa has 33 km of sealed road and 8 km of feeder roads. It is the lone vehicular transport route on the atoll. Using World Bank Finance, the road has recently been upgraded to provide good access between the seaport of Betio and the airport on Tarawa. it includes  footpaths, improved drainage, speed humps, solar street lighting, and road signage. Due to the nature of the low-lying topography, this road is under constant threat of flooding and erosion by the sea.

The Japanese Government is funding an upgrade of the causeway between Tarawa Island and Betio Island. The upgrade will provide wider and less flood-prone access between the Port of Betio, the capital Bairiki, and the rest of Tarawa. It is due for completion by early 2019. 

There is no vehicular access to the Northern islands of Tarawa from the south. 

Christmas Island has a tar sealed road that circumnavigates the Island that was built by the USA immediately post-war. It is in very good condition and allows good access to all settlements. 

Outlying islands have limited crushed coral roads that are generally all weather. Motorbikes are the main form of transport on these islands.

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

Distance Matrix

Travel Time Matrix

Road Security

Vehicle travel is generally slow moving (there are regular speed humps) so there is little danger of high-speed collisions. Surface water or erosion from rain or high tides is the biggest issue and can often result in closures. Feeder roads are generally unformed crushed coral tracks between villages and houses, narrow and unsuitable for heavy vehicles.

HQ to INSERT HERE navigable waterways map from GIS team in Rome.

There are no ‘internal’ waterways in Kiribati however inter-island water transport is the main form of transportation for people and goods in the country.

Ferries and landing craft are used extensively for transportation of people and cargo. Many of the outer islands do not have docking facilities for large ships and therefore landing craft are the preferred option for heavy cargo/vehicles, otherwise transhipment using small boats from ships anchored off the beach is the norm.  

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

Company Information 

There are several companies involved in inter-island shipping that provide passenger and cargo options, maintaining competition. There are some ongoing issues with safety as a result of overloading and ageing vessels, however there are a number of new landing craft available capable of carrying 50 – 150 passengers and 150 mt+ to beach locations safely (Kiribati National Shipping Line and Lu’s Marine).  Kiribati National Shipping Line is negotiating to purchase a 170 mt specialist fuel-carrying (International Marine Pollution Standard) landing craft.

For more information on waterway company contact details, please see the following link: 4.4 Port and Waterways Companies Contact List 

Travel Time Matrix

Use an average shipping speed of 4-5 knots.

In the capital, Bairiki, there is some limited commercial storage that is generally used by the owners who have wholesale food and hardware operations. There is limited permanent storage capacity at the ports and airports. 20 feet containers are the preferred option. 

Every village has a meeting house (Maneaba) and whilst they are not secure against pests, they can provide shelter for short-term storage of food and NFIs. Additionally, in most villages there are churches and schools that can provide more secure storage space. 

20 foot containers are the main secure storage used in Tarawa and on Christmas Island. They are readily available and easily transported to these locations. 

The outer islands have some limited storage available that generally satisfies current requirements.

In general the country’s storage infrastructure is not well developed and there are few specialist storage facilities available however the use 20 foot containers satisfies current demand. 

Commercial Storage

There are few specialist commercial storage operations. Most of those present with storage capacity are using 20 foot containers and will add more if required. It is suggested that humanitarian agencies arriving in-country consider bringing their own containers filled with supplies.

Storage Used by Humanitarian Organisations

The humanitarian organisations present - Red Cross, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNDP and UN Women - all rely on 20 foot containers for storage. It is limited and they have no capacity to share space.

[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

There is no public sector storage available.

Cold Chain

There are no commercial cold chain storage options other than those being used by fishing companies for their own requirements.

Kiribati is highly dependant on fuel for electricity generation. (20,000L/day) 

All fuel is imported, supplied by coastal tanker (with turnaround of 28 days) directly from Singapore.there is potential for fuel shortages as a result of bad weather which may delay discharging.

Suppliers

Kiribati Oil Company Ltd. (KOIL) is fully government owned and the major supplier. Located on Betio, South Tarawa. 

KOIL started as an energy agent and fuel regulator for MOBIL’s fuel facility in South Tarawa. After a series of agreements with MOBIL, KOIL has fully owned the facility since 2007. 

KOIL maintains aviation fuel depots at both Bonriki and Cassidy International Airports and depots for ferries refuelling on the islands of TabNorth, Arorae and Fanning.

KOIL Storage (Betio Fuel Farm)

Stocks are closely monitored if shortages are imminent 26,000L ISO tank containers will be ordered ex NZ with 1 week delivery time.

KOIL distributes fule to the outer islands from Tarawa in 200L. drums on a 1 – 2 monthly basis.

Clipper Oil is a private company with  storage bases at the ports of Tarawa and Christmas Island supplying marine fuels. They stock oil products from industry mainstays such as Shell and ExxonMobil and distribute related products from independent manufacturers

NOTE:

The only link between Betio and South Tarawa is the Nippon Causeway, which may be forced to close at times due to damage as a result of high seas.

The port of Betio is the country's main port, with much of the cargo and fuel supplies transported from Betio, via this causeway.

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 here.

Information may also be found at: http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/ which is updated monthly. 

Fuel Pricing 

Fuel is imported directly from Singapore by the government agency Kiribati Oil (KOIL) and they are the sole distributor. Government sets the fuel price.

Seasonal Variations 

Fuel Transportation

On South Tarawa, delivery to the 6 outlets by KOIL owned tanker trucks

3 Tanker Trucks/17000Litres – Ground Products 

2 Tanker Trucks/17000 Litres – Dedicated to Jet Fuel

For Christmas, Fanning and Washington Islands (Line Islands)

Government owned KOIL is the sole supplier of fuel to these islands. Deliveries are direct from Singapore to Christmas Island 3 – 4 monthly. Delays can result in shortages of unleaded petrol (approx. once a year) in which case rationing occurs.

3 months from full, remaining stocks are generally down to approx.. 20% for petrol, 50% for diesel and Jet A1

Fuel is discharged via floating hose direct to KOIL’s fuel farm. All quality testing is done by NZ laboratory.

Standards, Quality and Testing

There are no seasonal variations to fuel availability.

Fuel Transportation – Line and Phoenix Islands

 On Christmas Island Fuel is delivered to the 4 outlets on the island using 17,000L tanker (2)

and Jet A-1 to the airfield by 17,000 tanker.

Fuel is shipped to Fanning and Washington Islands from KOIL’s Christmas Island depot every 2 months in 200 L. drums Prices are the same as Christmas Island except for Jet A1, which must be shipped direct from NZ in 200L. tanks and retails for $US 2.38/L.

Weather conditions affecting the ability to unload vessels causes delays and short term shortages of fuel in the outer islands periodically.

Standards, Quality and Testing

Fuel quality standards are to international specifications and a recognised NZ laboratory carries out all 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.

The transport market is largely populated by small, localised owner operators on a casual as-required basis. There are no unions but due to the remote island nature of the country there is no option for foreign operators to enter the market.

On Tarawa there are numerous 3–5 tonne trucks owned by independent operators that are available for hire. These are currently able to adequately service the domestic demand and would be available for utilisation if there were a surge in demand. There are 3–4 larger operators who dominate the market that have side lifter trucks and various pieces of heavy equipment available.

Christmas Island has up to 30 x 3 mt trucks and 20 X 5 mt trucks. Individuals own these. They are adequate for the current domestic requirements and would be available for hire in case of a necessary humanitarian action.

On the smaller outer islands each island Council has a 5 mt truck; larger islands with populations in excess of 1,000 people will generally have several 5–8 mt flat deck tucks owned by individuals. Other transport is generally limited to motorbikes with few cars.

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

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.

Casual and full time manual labour is in plentiful supply. There are no issues with casual rates and groups can often be employed through community leaders. A lot of work is completed by manual labour rather than machinery, particularly on the outer islands where heavy machinery is scarce or non-existent in most cases. 

There are only private companies involved in the market. No restrictions to registering SIMS or mobile numbers. Data plans readily available. 3G/4G services are available.

There is limited competition. ATH is main provider with 1 further provider attempting to enter the market but as yet still going through necessary Government registration procedures (no connectivity between the 2 networks).

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

Telecommunication Regulation 

No restrictions in place to bringing telecommunications equipment into the country.

Existing Humanitarian Telecoms Systems

 The UN organisations have a basic communications centre based at their South Tarawa offices. Sharing this system may be possible but in practicality is a small and not very comprehensive system.  

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Christmas Island 

From Fiji Vodaphone and SPEEDCAST (Aust) Satellite available over all of Christmas Island through ATH. (satellite) Sole provider. The system appears very reliable. Businesses will connect through ATH provided systems and equipment to Satellite Internet.   

Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) 

Coverage and reliability of the dominant provider ATH is good and improvement and expansion of coverage is on going.

For information on MNOs please visit the GSM Association website. 

Aside from fish and a very small amount of vegetables and chicken all food and other supplies are imported from Australia, New Zealand or Fiji. There is no manufacturing or production capacity locally. Local markets cannot supply local demand so certainly would not be able to scale up. Outer islands receive supplies by coastal shipping from Tarawa, or in the case of the Phoenix and Line Islands, from Christmas Island. Disruption or delays to shipping can result in shortages of staples such as rice and grains. 

Imported goods are generally of a basic nature as the local economy cannot support luxury goods or expensive electronic or IT goods. 

Pharmaceuticals and medical supplies are very limited in Kiribati, hence travellers are advised to bring with them sufficient supply of medication that they may require during their visit.  

The only significant export from the country is copra. The Government has leased the majority of fishing rights to foreign interests.

Generic country information can be located from sources that 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): (http://atlas.media.mit.edu/en/)  

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.