ABPmer worked with MacAlister Elliott & Partners to prepare an Initial Environmental Evaluation (IEE) and scoping report for an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for a proposed new port development at Gara’ad in Puntland, Somalia.

ABPmer drew on its extensive experience of assessing the potential impacts of port development in preparing an IEE and a scoping document for the ESIA in accordance with World Bank standards.

A key issue for the project was the potential impact of the development on long-shore sediment transport on an exposed section of coast.

Detailed recommendations on hydrodynamic and sediment transport modelling were provided in the scoping report to ensure the complex prevailing coastal processes were adequately taken into account in the impact assessment.

The IEE also highlighted potential issues associated with the prevailing wave climate for project design and navigational safety. Recommendations were provided on how the initial design might be modified should initial modelling confirm the potential issues.

ABPmer’s planning and consents specialists regularly prepare environmental statements and support developers through the minefield of marine consents.