Consent heralds larger container ships for Ak

MEDIA RELEASE
Wednesday 27 May 2009
For immediate release

Ports of Auckland consent heralds final preparations for larger container ships

Ports of Auckland has gained resource consent for berth deepening and associated wharf works at its Fergusson container terminal.

Managing Director Jens Madsen says the works will cement the port’s ability to cater for the next generation of container ships, carrying 5,000 to 7,000 TEU.*

Ports of Auckland has already dredged its shipping channel in preparation for the larger ships and three of its existing container cranes, the largest in the country, are capable of servicing the vessels.

The consented works will complement the channel deepening by increasing the berth depth at the Fergusson container terminal to 15.5 metres chart datum**, which will allow the deeper draft ships to berth.

Plans also include a minor extension to the Fergusson wharf and construction of a small part of a planned new northern berth.

Mr Madsen says Ports of Auckland is in the best position of any New Zealand port to cater for the new generation of container ships.

“Our channel dredging is complete, we have the best equipment and, with the securing of this resource consent, we are effectively on stand-by.”

Mr Madsen said detailed design work would begin soon and that physical works would commence as soon as the shipping industry required it.

Mr Madsen said Ports of Auckland, as the country’s largest container port, had the benefit of existing scale, the largest and most modern fleet of container handling equipment, and good ability to increase capacity further in the future.

Ports of Auckland is equipped with eight container cranes, three more than any other port in New Zealand.

“The three newest cranes have a 50 metre outreach which, taking into account the additional fendering required for larger vessels, gives us the ability to service ships 18 containers wide,” said Mr Madsen.

The berth deepening and wharf works will take between 24 and 30 months to complete.

Following the completion of a channel deepening project in 2007, Auckland’s shipping lane is 12.5 metres chart datum, deep enough to accommodate these larger vessels within tidal windows.

*TEU = twenty foot equivalent unit (a standard industry measure of container volumes).

** Chart datum = depth measurement at lowest astronomical tide.

ENDS

Ports of Auckland is New Zealand’s largest container port by volume, handling around 840,000 TEU), more than 1,700 ship calls and 3.6 million tonnes of break-bulk (non-containerised) cargo per annum. It is New Zealand’s major import port and a key partner to export industries. Ports of Auckland is 100%-owned by Auckland Regional Holdings.

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