New and Innovative Strategic Transport Infrastructure Advisory Programme Launched Between the Kingdom of Tonga and NTRO

April 24, 2024

Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation (NTRO) – an IRF member – and the Kingdom of Tonga’s Ministry of Infrastructure (MOI) have signed an agreement to formally advance a Strategic Transport Infrastructure Advisory Programme.

The signing of the agreement was welcomed by the Tongan Minister of Infrastructure, the Hon Sevenitini Toumo’ua and the Chief Executive Officer of NTRO, Mr Michael Caltabiano.

The work will involve road, maritime and aviation assets.

An Early Works Package has now commenced. It will focus on Materials Science, Infrastructure Measurement, Asset Performance and Strategic Transport Infrastructure Advisory work.

Critically, the Materials Science focus area will see an “uplift” of the MOI Transport Laboratory – allowing an evidence-based, scientific assessment of local materials for infrastructure projects within the Kingdom. NTRO will commence work with the MOI laboratory team in a ‘partnership in science’.

The Infrastructure Measurement work will immediately focus on baselining selected road and aviation assets – allowing a forward pathway to be mapped for asset performance and management.

NTRO Asset Performance experts will commence work by baselining selected aviation and road assets, whilst the NTRO Strategic Infrastructure Advisory team will focus on examining several major infrastructure projects currently under consideration by the MOI.

The Early Works Package is expected to be a pre-cursor for a proposed 10-year program of work across road, port and aviation assets throughout the Kingdom.

NTRO Executive Director Jason Sprott said the intention was to create a true partnership with the Kingdom of Tonga.

“NTRO is incredibly excited to advance work on this program as a ‘critical friend’ to the Ministry of Infrastructure. We will walk with them in a true partnership – listening, learning and transferring skills and knowledge along the way,” Mr Sprott said.

“This signals the commencement of an enduring program where we will see significant improvement in sustainable transport infrastructure – being the platform upon which to build a more prosperous and resilient nation.”

Tongan Minister of Infrastructure, the Hon Sevenitini Toumo’ua, said:

“As an engineer, I am very excited about this work with Australia’s National Transport Research Organisation. Tonga will access NTRO’s world class transport laboratory services. At the same time, it will help build up and certify our own transport laboratory here at the Ministry of Infrastructure. This will provide scientific and measurement tools we urgently need to help build and maintain Tonga’s transport infrastructure.”

“As always, the main aim is to improve the safety of transport. This also provides real scientific-based solutions to fixing our deteriorating roads and the rapidly increasing traffic and congestion in Tonga.”