В Вануату опубликован проект руководства по геотехнической безопасности для восстановления центра Вилы

A member of the geotechnical assessment team presents findings during the first stakeholder consultation on the Port Vila CBD last month. Photo: Supplied A member of the geotechnical assessment team presents findings during the first stakeholder consultation on the Port Vila CBD last month. Photo: Supplied T&T GeoTech meeting with VCCI members on August 19, 2026. Photo: Supplied. A new geotechnical assessment has provided a clearer understanding of how ground conditions vary across Port Vila’s Central Business District (CBD) and how they may affect buildings and infrastructure during future earthquakes. The assessment, carried out following the December 2024 earthquake, has mapped four key earthquake-related hazards across the CBD: ground shaking, liquefaction, slope instability and fault-related ground movement. In a statement published by the Department of Urban Affairs and Planning (DUAP) Project Management Unit yesterday, the findings have been incorporated into a draft Geotechnical Guidance Handbook and Geotechnical Hazard Portal, which are now undergoing final stakeholder consultation before the guidance is finalised and issued for use. Technical investigations began in November 2025 and included boreholes at selected locations and geophysical surveying across the CBD. The assessment has divided the CBD into four broad ground zones based on generally expected ground conditions. However, the mapping does not classify individual properties as simply “safe” or “unsafe”. Being within a mapped hazard area does not automatically prevent development. Nik Regenvanu, Manager of the Project Management Unit at DUAP, said the assessment is intended to provide better information so development can be appropriately investigated, designed and built for the conditions of each site. “The assessment does not determine where development can or cannot occur. It provides better information so that development can be appropriately investigated, designed and built for the conditions of each site,” he said. The draft handbook is designed to translate the technical findings into practical information for leaseholders, developers, engineers, planners and government approval authorities. It is intended to help stakeholders identify when ground conditions may require further investigation or specialist advice and encourage geotechnical conditions to be considered early in the development process. Early consideration can help identify potentially unsuitable designs, clarify foundation requirements and reduce the risk of unexpected costs, redesign or delays. The level of investigation required will depend on the site, the scale and complexity of the proposed development and its intended use. Larger, taller buildings will generally require more detailed investigation than smaller, low-rise developments. The guidance is intended as a screening tool for understanding area-wide geohazards and does not replace site-specific geotechnical investigations, suitably qualified technical advice, detailed engineering design, good engineering practice or the requirements of the Vanuatu National Building Code. The consultation is being overseen by DUAP and Port Vila City Council (PVCC) following stakeholder sessions held from August 18 to 21. The sessions involved government agencies, planning and building authorities, technical professionals and private-sector stakeholders. The private-sector session was supported by the Vanuatu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and brought together businesses, property owners, developers, engineers and builders. Stakeholders have until close of business on Friday, September 11, 2026, to submit final comments, questions or recommendations on the draft handbook and Geotechnical Hazard Portal. The draft materials are not yet intended for use in geotechnical investigations, building design, consenting or other development decisions. They will be reviewed and updated following stakeholder feedback before the final guidance is issued for use. The geotechnical assessment and development of the guidance form part of the Government’s broader effort to support the recovery, reconstruction and future development of Port Vila’s CBD following the December 2024 earthquake. The work is funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and undertaken by Tonkin + Taylor, with structural engineering input from Egis Limited.