Portable Emergency Infrastructure
- daniellaATS
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
Manus Island Project: Emergency Accommodation & Catering Facilities Under Extreme Conditions
Australian Temporary Structures, in partnership with Toll Logistics, was engaged by the Australian Government to design, supply, and install critical portable emergency infrastructure on Manus Island, Papua New Guinea. The project, carried out under extreme time constraints and challenging tropical conditions, involved the rapid deployment of a fully equipped camp kitchen, catering facility, emergency accommodation, and mess hall to support regional processing operations.
Portable Emergency Infrastructure Project Overview
Location: Manus Island, Papua New Guinea
Project Scope: Camp kitchen, catering facility, emergency accommodation, and amenities
Deployment Timeline: Kitchen facility completed in five days, full accommodation and mess hall project completed in four weeks
Capacity: 400-person accommodation, mess hall for 2,000 people
Logistics: Multi-stage transport via semi-trailers, C17, and C130 aircraft
Key Features & Customisations
Camp Kitchen & Catering Facility (2012 Project)
10m x 24m Modular Structure – Built on-site with electrical, plumbing, and carpentry installations completed before erection.
Rapid Deployment in Five Days – Despite heavy tropical rain and remote location challenges, the ATS team delivered a fully operational kitchen in record time.
Workforce & Logistics:
1 Project Manager, 3 Structure Builders, 1 General Contractor, 1 Plumber
3 Electrical & Air Conditioning Technicians
12 Local Manus Islanders hired for labour duties
Equipment transported from Bowral, NSW, to Amberley Air Base, Brisbane, before being flown to Manus Island via Port Moresby.
Emergency Accommodation & Amenities (2013 Expansion)
Following damage to the Nauru RPC1 facility in July 2013, ATS was engaged to provide emergency accommodation, amenities, and mess hall facilities at the Manus Island Regional Processing Centre. The Australian Government also expanded the site footprint, requiring ATS to undertake additional work under strict deadlines.
Accommodation Blocks for 400 People – Fully equipped sleeping quarters and entry areas designed for long-term resilience.
Amenities Blocks – Included toilet, shower, and laundry facilities with integrated air-conditioning and ducting for climate control.
Mess Hall for 2,000 People – Spacious dining area with a fully operational kitchen, food service areas, and seating arrangements.
Mess Hall Entry Platform & Ramp with Railing – Ensured safe and accessible entry for all users.
High-Speed Deployment – The full-scale accommodation and mess hall project was completed in just four weeks, despite complex logistical and environmental challenges.
Project Success
The Manus Island Project stands as a testament to Australian Temporary Structures’ ability to rapidly deploy portable emergency infrastructure in remote and extreme environments. The fast-track construction, strategic logistics planning, and ability to work under extreme weather conditions ensured that critical humanitarian and operational needs were met efficiently.
This project underscores ATS’s expertise in delivering large-scale emergency response solutions, proving that modular structures can provide immediate, scalable, and reliable support for crisis operations worldwide.
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