Downer’s marine capability is a key element to our successful delivery of many infrastructure upgrades and developments in the Pacific Islands, to enhance accessibility and resilience across our neighbouring Pacific communities.
Marine works formed a key part of upgrading the Taro and Seghe airfields upgrade project for the Solomon Island Government. The work scope included significant work in sensitive marine environments between both locations, including four extensive seawalls which required earthworks inside the tidal zones, with the extent of work requiring over six months of activity. Each seawall was surrounded by live coral reefs, mangroves, sensitive flora, and fish fauna, with one seawall in close confines to a WW2 plane wreck/tourist dive site – all of which required careful operational management in the highly sensitive marine environment.
The two seawalls constructed on Taro Island were used to reclaim 150m of additional airfield runway out into the reef area. This was a significant operation requiring construction of the walls in an open marine area followed by reclaiming the foreshore behind the walls. Construction considerations included working around tides and swells, managing the supply and quality of locally sourced materials, and close management of erosion and sediment controls to protect the marine environment.
In addition to the marine related scope, we delivered airfield pavement reconstruction and surfacing works, terminal buildings, and solar airfield ground lighting works at the two isolated regional airfields in the Solomon Islands – Seghe Airfield and Choiseul Bay Airfield.
