Global seaweed investor eyes Milne Bay for major export partnership

One of the world’s largest seaweed processors, Jiangsu Benefit Ocean Hydrocolloids of China, has visited Milne Bay Province to explore investment opportunities in seaweed, with backing from the National Fisheries Authority.

Milne Bay, which earlier this year became the first Papua New Guinean province to export seaweed to China, is eager to expand its market and strengthen returns for local farmers.

Provincial Administrator Dr. Igo Gari welcomed the delegation, praising NFA for facilitating the visit.

“It’s always a pleasure to have friends come visit us in Milne Bay. We want them to come more often. But I also want to thank Fisheries [NFA] as I cannot do it myself,” Dr. Gari said.

Liu Ming, owner and chairman of Benefit Ocean, led a three-man delegation to Alotau, where they inspected stockpiles under local exporter Boboana Investment, visited farming sites at Netuli Island, and assessed quality, growing conditions, and processing methods.

Benefit Ocean, the second-largest seaweed processor in the world after Denmark, specializes in producing hydrocolloids, a gel derived from seaweed that has wide applications in food, medicine, cosmetics, and industrial products.

The company has indicated strong interest in sourcing up to 1,000 tonnes of seaweed per month from Milne Bay, a dramatic increase from the current production of about 200 tonnes per year.

NFA said the visit is a breakthrough for its Coastal Fisheries Development Concept, launched in Milne Bay in April, which aims to create alternative income streams for communities. Seaweed is seen as a reliable, high-volume crop that can complement seasonal marine commodities such as beche-de-mer.

NFA will work with farmers to meet buyer standards for growing, harvesting, and processing, with Benefit Ocean expected to provide technical support.

The visit follows NFA’s bilateral trade mission to China in July, where seaweed was marked as a priority product for market access.