Papua New Guinea: sanctions and trade risk

No elevated indicator

As of 7 November 2026, the screened UN, EU, UK, Swiss and US sanctions lists contain 0 companies, organisations, vessels and aircraft linked to Papua New Guinea.Lists last checked 2026-11-07 21:01 UTC.

Logistics profile: ports, airports, customs, documents, holidays, news ↓

No elevated country indicator for Papua New Guinea in the route rules Sanctioni uses. That is not a clearance: goods may still be export-controlled, and parties in Papua New Guinea may still be on a list.

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On the sanctions lists

No entry on the 7 lists Sanctioni screens names Papua New Guinea.

Latest changes

No new listings or removals naming Papua New Guinea recorded yet.

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Logistics profile

Papua New Guinea: logistics and trade

Commodity exporter / Pacific island state

Papua New Guinea (ISO code: PG) lies in the south-western Pacific and comprises the eastern part of the island of New Guinea plus numerous smaller islands. It is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system within the Commonwealth. The climate is tropical, marked by high humidity, heavy rainfall and warm year-round temperatures. The economy is dominated by the resource sector, in particular natural gas, gold, copper and palm oil, complemented by agriculture and fishing. Its logistical importance stems from the seaports of Port Moresby, Lae and Madang, which serve as central hubs for imports and exports. Papua New Guinea mainly exports raw materials and agricultural products, while importing machinery, fuel, food and consumer goods, resulting in high import dependence. Because of the remote location and rugged topography, the transit function is regionally limited but gains importance through maritime transport routes. The national currency is the Kina (PGK). Papua New Guinea plays a strategic role in regional Pacific trade and is of interest for international investment in the resource sector.

Capital: Port Moresby
Population: 10,576,502
Area: 462,840 km²
Currency: Papua New Guinean Kina (PGK)
Continent: Oceania
Region: Melanesia / Pacific
Economic area: MSG / APEC (no PACER Plus)
Religions: Christianity
Access to the sea: Yes

Transport modes Sea · Air · Road

Current situation: Sea freight via Lae and Port Moresby (Motukea) dominates; many regions are reachable only by ship or aircraft due to the fragmented road network.
Seasonal conditions: Tropical climate with high rainfall year-round; rainy season December to March; also earthquake, volcano and storm risks.

Main seaports

Port Moresby
Port Moresby (PG POM), Papua New Guinea: international boxes run via ICTSI's Motukea International Terminal. Main gateway for the capital region; alternative Lae.
Madang
Madang (PG MAG) on the Bismarck Sea is a feeder and regional port in Papua New Guinea for containers, general cargo and tuna; main volumes via Lae.
Kimbe
Kimbe (PG KIM): Papua New Guinea's third-largest port and main palm-oil loading point (~75% of exports). 11 m cargo pier; route boxes and breakbulk via Lae.
Rabaul
Rabaul (PG RAB) on Simpson Harbour is East New Britain's regional port for copra, cocoa, palm oil and log exports; no quay cranes. Alternatives: Lae and Kimbe.
Lae
Lae (PG LAE) is Papua New Guinea's largest port: 2014 container terminal, tidal basin, ICTSI-run, gateway to the Highlands via the Highlands Highway.
Vanimo
Vanimo (PG VAI): timber-export port in Sandaun, north-west Papua New Guinea. General cargo, containers, breakbulk, basic gear. Alt.: Wewak, Lae.

Main cargo airports

Port Moresby Jacksons International AirportPOM
Port Moresby Jacksons (POM/AYPY): Papua New Guinea's largest airport, ~162,000 t cargo capacity, bonded warehouse, Air Niugini base, four-phase redevelopment since 2025.

Road corridors

Highlands Highway (Lae - Mount Hagen)

Main trade lanes

PG - Australia
PG - China
PG - Japan
PG - Singapore
PG - South Korea

Customs and import

Customs authority Papua New Guinea Customs Service (PNG Customs)Official website ↗

Import customs system: Electronic import clearance via ASYCUDA World (fully rolled out 2019); import declaration Form 15 only by licensed customs agents.
Export customs system: Export clearance also via ASYCUDA World; declarations submitted by licensed customs agents to the PNG Customs Service.
Import VAT: GST of 10 percent on CIF value plus import duty, collected at import; administered by the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC).
Proofs of origin and trade agreements: Proofs of origin EUR.1 or origin declaration for the EU-Pacific iEPA; certificates of origin for the MSG trade agreement.
Restricted and prohibited goods: Prohibited, among others: firearms, drugs, pornographic material and goods infringing copyright; other goods only with an import permit or licence.

Typical import documents

Commercial invoice
Waybill / Bill of Lading
Packing list
Import declaration (Form 15)
Certificate of origin (for preferential treatment)
Import permit (for restricted goods)

Typical export documents

Commercial invoice
Export declaration
Waybill / Bill of Lading
Packing list
Proof of origin (EUR.1 / origin declaration)

Logistics conditions

Customs complexity: Medium
Customs delays: Medium
Port congestion: Medium
Dangerous goods relevance: Medium
Pharma and cold chain relevance: Medium
E-commerce relevance: Low to medium

Trade

Top import partners

Australia China Singapore Japan United States

Top export partners

Australia Japan China South Korea Singapore

Top import goods

Petroleum products
Machinery
Vehicles
Food
Chemicals

Top export goods

Natural gas
Gold
Copper
Crude oil
Palm oil

Typical cargo

Liquefied natural gas (LNG)
Gold and copper
Palm oil
Coffee and cocoa
Machinery and vehicles (import)
Fuel (import)

Logistics questions

What import tax applies in Papua New Guinea?

Imports are subject to GST of 10 percent, calculated on the CIF value plus import duty. GST is administered by the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC).

How are imports cleared by customs?

Clearance is electronic via the PNG Customs Service ASYCUDA World system. The import declaration (Form 15) may only be lodged by licensed customs agents.

Which are the most important seaports?

Lae is the country's largest container port, followed by Port Moresby (Motukea International Terminal). Other ports include Madang, Kimbe and Rabaul.

How high are import duties?

Typical duty rates are 5, 8 and 11 percent; a protective tariff of up to 40 percent applies to certain goods, with higher rates on tobacco and alcohol.

Are there free-trade agreements?

Papua New Guinea has duty- and quota-free EU market access through the EU-Pacific iEPA and is a member of MSG, APEC and the WTO. It did not sign PACER Plus.

Which goods are prohibited or restricted?

Prohibited goods include firearms, drugs, pornographic and copyright-infringing material. Other goods may only be imported under permit or licence.

How is air freight connected?

Jacksons International Airport in Port Moresby is the main cargo airport with a permanent customs and quarantine presence; Nadzab Airport near Lae serves as a complement.

Full logistics profile on Freight Academy ↗