MEDIA STATEMENT: Waimata welcomed into Eastland Port family

Eastland Port’s new tug boat the Waimata was officially launched yesterday evening at a wharfside event for the port’s customers and employees.

Built by Damen, a family-owned company based in the Netherlands, the tug left the Haiphong shipyards in Vietnam on 1 September, stopping in Papua New Guinea on her way to her new home in Gisborne.

Damen representatives from the Netherlands were on board the Waimata when she arrived into Poverty Bay on 3 October, and also attended the official occasion yesterday.

Also among the invited guests were four members of the former Gisborne Harbour Board – Captain Ian Cook, Peter Franks, Les McGreevy, and Trevor Gedye – who, in 1977, also greeted the port’s previous new tug, the Turihaua.

Eastland Group chief executive, Matt Todd told guests the arrival of the Waimata was an occasion worth celebrating, not only for the port but for the wider Gisborne region.

“The purchase of this bigger and stronger tug underscores Eastland Group’s commitment to continued investment in the port as we strive to improve both operating efficiency and safety. The Waimata is an important asset for the port, the forestry industry and the entire region.”

Acting chair of Eastland Group’s Board, John Clarke said the company’s focus was on developing fit-for-purpose infrastructure to benefit the entire region.

“The Port is a key contributor to economic development here. Forestry is now the biggest contributor to regional GDP, employing more than ten percent of our workforce and paying more than $100 million in wages every year.”

At 24 metres, Mr Clarke said, the Waimata was a far stronger and larger tug than the Turihaua, with a bollard pull of at least 65 tonnes and displacement of 400 tonnes.

“She’ll allow the port and its workers a greater safety margin when manoeuvring the larger logging ships in the restricted area of the harbour.”

Named to fit in with Eastland Port’s other geographically tagged vessels, the new arrival replaces the 37 year-old Turihaua which will be sold once the Waimata is in full operation.

Eastland Port manager Andrew Gaddum said the past few years had seen an increase in the general size of ships, particularly logging vessels, coming into Eastland Port.

“Six or so years ago we were getting the 160m-170m vessels with a beam of 27.5 metres and 17,000 gross tonnes. Now we’re regularly receiving vessels that are up to 190m long, with a beam of 32.5 metres and a gross tonnage of 30,000 tonnes – and that’s unloaded.

The launch event concluded with a formal blessing by local kaumatua Temple Isaac, and a champagne toast across the bow of the vessel by East Coast MP and Minister of Social Development Anne Tolley.

Background

Eastland Port is a vital piece of infrastructure for the region and for a forestry industry that now directly employs over 1600 people. Since Eastland Group acquired the port in 2003 the company has spent more than $50 million on capital enhancements – over and above the purchase price and normal operational maintenance expenditure – and plans to invest a further $55 million over the next five years to accommodate customer projections for forestry harvest.

ENDS

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