Prosper Construction Holdings - Cement production plant in West Papua, Indonesia

Prosper Construction Holdings, a Hong Kong-based contractor that provides marine construction services, offers its expertise to both the private and public sectors in different parts of the world. Since its inception in 2001, the company, which operates in the name of its flagship company Hong Kong River Engineering Company, has completed various large-scale marine infrastructure projects in Hong Kong, Macau, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Many of these projects are located in countries or regions along the Belt and Road route. 

One of the Belt and Road projects recently completed by Prosper Construction involves a cement production plant in Indonesia, which was put into operation in August 2016. Located in Manokwari, the capital of the province of Western Papua, the plant is funded by two Chinese enterprises, the State Development and Investment Corporation and Anhui Conch Cement Company. The joint venture between the state-owned investor and Anhui Conch Cement, a private enterprise that is China’s largest cement maker by market value, is a typical form of partnership for Belt and Road initiatives. 

The establishment of the cement plant is expected to help meet Indonesia’s surging demand for infrastructure projects. It is also set to help ease cement price pressure especially in Papua, the easternmost province of Indonesia bordered by West Papua. The long distance between Papua and the main cement-producing regions of Indonesia means cement prices in Papua are among the highest in the country.

With a price tag of US$300 million, the cement factory has an initial capacity of 1.5 million metric tons per annum. The project comprises various features, including production structures, lighting and power supply and communication facilities, and marine facilities. Prosper Construction was responsible for the marine infrastructure, which consists of several berth platforms, an approach bridge and a cargo terminal. The company’s Hong Kong team played an important role in winning the contract to build the marine infrastructure. Leveraging their industry knowledge, technical knowhow and network of contacts, the team members prepared the tender proposal and arranged for experienced consultants to design the plans of the infrastructure. 

In implementing the project, Prosper Construction faced different challenges, including the tight work schedule and harsh sea conditions. Nevertheless, the Hong Kong contractor managed to complete the project without a hitch, demonstrating the efficiency and resilience of a Hong Kong company with substantial experience in its trade.