Manihiki also locally known as Te Fuinga o Niva, is a roughly triangular-shaped coral atoll made up of 43 islets or motu surrounding a deep, 9km wide lagoon almost completely enclosed by the surrounding reef. As with all other Northern Group atolls, Manihiki is susceptible to rising sea levels.
The Cook Islands Government is advancing the project to upgrade the Manihiki Airport landing strip. This initiative has been in development for several years and is now progressing steadily. Infrastructure Cook Islands (ICI) is currently awaiting funding confirmation from the Infrastructure Trust Fund to commence construction.
Negotiations with landowners have concluded, and compensation distribution is forthcoming. Landowners and other interested parties can access legal documents and surveys below.
ICI is coordinating the logistics for the construction phase, collaborating with the Manihiki Island government, machinery suppliers, and freight services to name a few. Construction is expected to begin in the latter half of the 2024/25 fiscal year, pending funding approval. A revised Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been submitted for approval by the National Environment Service (NES). The design and staging drawings have been approved, meeting Civil Aviation Regulations (CICAR) requirements, with an exemption for the runway strip width and transitional Obstacle Limitation Surfaces (OLS).
Manihiki Airport Project documents
Click on the buttons below to read through documents for the project.
