The road itself
The Highlands Highway runs from Lae through the Markham Valley, up into the Eastern Highlands and on to Goroka, Kundiawa and Mount Hagen, with extensions towards Mendi, Wabag, Tari and Porgera. It's the main land link between the populous Highlands region and the coast, and for most of its length it's a two-lane road that suffers from potholes and landslips.
Some rough distances help with planning: Kainantu is about 170 kilometres by road from Lae, and Goroka about 90 kilometres beyond that. Lae to Mount Hagen is in the order of 430 kilometres. Those numbers look modest to an Australian trucking operator, but the road climbs steeply and conditions vary enormously with the weather. For the rest of the shipping picture, see our complete guide to shipping to Lae.
Road conditions and seasonal risk
Heavy rain brings landslips, washouts and sinkholes, and these can close sections of the highway for days. Several bridges on the route have been single-lane structures carrying heavy freight for decades. The Asian Development Bank is funding bridge replacement under the Sustainable Highlands Highway Investment Programme, so conditions are improving, but you'll still find roadworks, detours and weight restrictions along the way.
Plan for it rather than hoping around it:
- Build a buffer of a few days into any Highlands delivery commitment, more in the wet season.
- Check axle and gross weight limits on your specific route before booking heavy or oversized loads.
- Keep temperature-sensitive goods out of long delays, or use refrigerated equipment with fuel for extended waits.
Security on the highway
Security is the part first-time shippers underestimate. Government travel advisories warn of carjackings on the road between Lae and Nadzab airport, violent attacks on vehicles on the Highlands Highway, particularly between Goroka and Kainantu, and illegal roadblocks where money is demanded. Local disputes can also close sections of the road until they're resolved.
Established Highlands carriers manage this every day. Standard practice for valuable freight includes:
- Travelling in daylight only, with planned overnight stops in secure compounds.
- Convoys and, for high-value cargo, security escorts.
- Sealed full containers rather than loose or open loads where possible.
- Discreet descriptions and markings that don't advertise what's inside.
- GPS tracking and regular check-ins with the dispatcher.
These measures cost money, and they belong in the budget from the start. Our article on hidden shipping fees in PNG explains why escort and waiting charges surprise so many importers.
Transport options from the Lae wharf
Full container, door delivery
The container is cleared, released from the terminal and trucked intact to your site, where you unpack it. This is the most secure option for general cargo and the most common for regular importers. You then have to get the empty back to Lae before the carrier's free time runs out.
Unpack in Lae, deliver loose
The container is unpacked at a Lae yard and the cargo moves up the highway on trucks or in the carrier's own equipment. This returns the container quickly and suits consignments going to several Highlands destinations, but it adds handling and exposes loose freight.
Oversized and heavy loads
Machinery and project cargo need route surveys, permits and sometimes police or pilot vehicles. Bridge limits and tight bends on the climb dictate what's possible. See our guide to shipping vehicles and heavy machinery to Lae for the sea side of the equation.
Air freight for urgent items
Nadzab airport, about 40 kilometres from Lae, and Highlands airports such as Mount Hagen and Goroka offer an alternative for urgent spares and small high-value items.
Don't forget the container clock
When you take a full container to the Highlands, the shipping line's detention clock keeps running until the empty is returned to its nominated depot, usually in Lae. A delivery that takes two days up, a day or two to unpack and two days back can eat most of a standard free-time allowance, and that's before any road closure. Negotiate extended free time at booking for Highlands deliveries, or unpack in Lae if the numbers don't work. Our guide to reducing shipping costs to Lae covers free-time negotiation.
Insurance and paperwork for the road leg
Check that your marine cargo policy covers the inland transit to the final destination, not just port to port. Many policies do if arranged warehouse to warehouse, but exclusions for theft or civil unrest vary. Keep copies of the customs release and delivery documents with the driver; they're commonly asked for at checkpoints. And make sure your trucking operator's liability terms are in writing, as limits can be low relative to the value of a container load.
Choosing a Highlands transport provider
Look for operators with their own depots or secure yards at both ends, a track record on your specific route and a clear security plan. Ask how they handle road closures, who pays for waiting time, and how quickly they return empties. Many importers use the same provider for customs clearance and cartage so that one party owns the handover from wharf to road. Our guide to choosing a freight forwarder or customs broker in Lae lists the questions worth asking.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to truck cargo from Lae to Mount Hagen?
In good conditions, most freight moves within one to two days with daylight-only travel and planned stops. Landslips, roadworks or local disputes can add days, so build in a buffer.
Is the Highlands Highway safe for cargo?
Established carriers move freight on it every day, but there are real security risks, including carjacking and illegal roadblocks. Daylight travel, convoys, escorts for high-value cargo and sealed containers are standard precautions.
Should I send the full container to the Highlands or unpack in Lae?
Full-container delivery is more secure, but the detention clock runs until the empty is back in Lae. For multiple drops or tight free time, unpacking in Lae can be more economical.
Wade Miller
Senior Air Freight Writer, Sydney
Wade has spent more than 20 years in freight, from cargo terminal ramps to forwarding operations and customs documentation, working with importers and exporters across Australia and the Asia-Pacific. He writes practical guides on rates, paperwork and the rules that affect shipments, and reviews them against primary sources such as customs authority publications and carrier notices.
Related guides
Back to the complete guide to shipping to Lae
This guide is general information based on publicly available sources at the date shown. Rules, rates and schedules change, so confirm details with PNG Customs, NAQIA, your carrier or a licensed customs broker before you ship. Spotted something out of date? Report a correction.