Key project nears completion
06.10.2006
The first half of New Zealand’s largest port infrastructure project - and biggest recycling venture - is almost complete.
So far more than 740,000 cubic metres of marine mud and cement (known as ‘mudcrete’) has been recycled into Ports of Auckland’s new Axis Fergusson reclamation extension. When Stage One (first half) of the extension is complete early next year it will provide five hectares of new land at the Axis Fergusson container terminal. This extra area will provide container handling space for an additional 120,000 TEU at the terminal. Stage Two, the remaining 4.4 hectares of the extension, will be completed over a period of time using maintenance dredgings from around the port wharves.
The project (Stages One and Two inclusive) will add a total of 9.4-hectares of new land, increasing the total area of New Zealand’s largest and busiest container terminal to around 35 hectares – or 350,000 square metres! Ports of Auckland Managing Director Geoff Vazey says, “This is an important project for the Port and for the Auckland region. By increasing the Port’s capacity we are ensuring our ability to handle Auckland’s rapidly growing imports and exports well into the future.” The first two hectares of Stage One were completed in January and are in use, aiding increased productivity at the terminal.
Martin Speller, manager Axis Terminal operations, said: “The additional space has provided increased storage capacity and improved the efficiency of our road grid. This is already proving beneficial at peak times as the new layout is helping to increase productivity.” Operational efficiencies have been further improved by turning the container stacks to face perpendicular to the berths, making for more direct straddle moves between the berth and the stacks. Ports of Auckland’s second container terminal, Axis Bledisloe has a total area of 14 hectares.
New public waterfront access
The beginnings of an all-new public waterfront walkway on the reclamation extension are also underway. A protective rock seawall is being placed around the eastern exterior of the reclamation. Once the seawall is completed, a three-metre wide walkway and two viewing platforms will be built on top, giving 400 meters of public waterfront access.
Commercial shipping lane deepening
The deepening of the commercial shipping lane has progressed to its final stages in the northern end of the shipping lane in the Rangitoto Channel. The channel deepening, to a depth of 12.5 metres chart datum, will be completed within the next few months.
The channel deepening is required in order to widen the tidal window for larger containerships such as those now calling at the port and also to provide for the next generation of vessels expected in the future. This will enable these larger ships to call at almost all stages of the tide.
Fast facts
When the shipping lane deepening and stage one of the Axis Fergusson container terminal extension are completed in late 2006:
· Auckland will have a terminal that can service larger containerships with ease.
· Auckland will cater for an additional 120,000 TEU.
· Auckland will have the capacity to move almost one million containers a year.
· Five hectares of land will have been reclaimed. On complete of Stage Two the Axis Fergusson container terminal will have a total area of around 35 hectares – or 350,000 square metres.
· A new 3-meter wide, 400-metre long waterfront walkway with two viewing platforms on the eastern side of the new terminal will be open to the public.
· 40,000 cubic metres of rock will have been used on the sea walls surrounding the new reclamation extension.
· An estimated 800,000 cubic meters of mudcrete - enough to fill 320 Olympic-size swimming pools - will have been placed in the reclamation. (At present more than 740,000 cubic metres of mudcrete have been placed in the reclamation; that’s enough to fill 295 Olympicsized swimming pools.)
· The new shipping lane depth will be 12.5 metres at chart datum (the lowest of low tides).
* Container volumes are measured in TEUs (20-foot equivalent units – or the size of a standard 20- foot container).
So far more than 740,000 cubic metres of marine mud and cement (known as ‘mudcrete’) has been recycled into Ports of Auckland’s new Axis Fergusson reclamation extension. When Stage One (first half) of the extension is complete early next year it will provide five hectares of new land at the Axis Fergusson container terminal. This extra area will provide container handling space for an additional 120,000 TEU at the terminal. Stage Two, the remaining 4.4 hectares of the extension, will be completed over a period of time using maintenance dredgings from around the port wharves.
The project (Stages One and Two inclusive) will add a total of 9.4-hectares of new land, increasing the total area of New Zealand’s largest and busiest container terminal to around 35 hectares – or 350,000 square metres! Ports of Auckland Managing Director Geoff Vazey says, “This is an important project for the Port and for the Auckland region. By increasing the Port’s capacity we are ensuring our ability to handle Auckland’s rapidly growing imports and exports well into the future.” The first two hectares of Stage One were completed in January and are in use, aiding increased productivity at the terminal.
Martin Speller, manager Axis Terminal operations, said: “The additional space has provided increased storage capacity and improved the efficiency of our road grid. This is already proving beneficial at peak times as the new layout is helping to increase productivity.” Operational efficiencies have been further improved by turning the container stacks to face perpendicular to the berths, making for more direct straddle moves between the berth and the stacks. Ports of Auckland’s second container terminal, Axis Bledisloe has a total area of 14 hectares.
New public waterfront access
The beginnings of an all-new public waterfront walkway on the reclamation extension are also underway. A protective rock seawall is being placed around the eastern exterior of the reclamation. Once the seawall is completed, a three-metre wide walkway and two viewing platforms will be built on top, giving 400 meters of public waterfront access.
Commercial shipping lane deepening
The deepening of the commercial shipping lane has progressed to its final stages in the northern end of the shipping lane in the Rangitoto Channel. The channel deepening, to a depth of 12.5 metres chart datum, will be completed within the next few months.
The channel deepening is required in order to widen the tidal window for larger containerships such as those now calling at the port and also to provide for the next generation of vessels expected in the future. This will enable these larger ships to call at almost all stages of the tide.
Fast facts
When the shipping lane deepening and stage one of the Axis Fergusson container terminal extension are completed in late 2006:
· Auckland will have a terminal that can service larger containerships with ease.
· Auckland will cater for an additional 120,000 TEU.
· Auckland will have the capacity to move almost one million containers a year.
· Five hectares of land will have been reclaimed. On complete of Stage Two the Axis Fergusson container terminal will have a total area of around 35 hectares – or 350,000 square metres.
· A new 3-meter wide, 400-metre long waterfront walkway with two viewing platforms on the eastern side of the new terminal will be open to the public.
· 40,000 cubic metres of rock will have been used on the sea walls surrounding the new reclamation extension.
· An estimated 800,000 cubic meters of mudcrete - enough to fill 320 Olympic-size swimming pools - will have been placed in the reclamation. (At present more than 740,000 cubic metres of mudcrete have been placed in the reclamation; that’s enough to fill 295 Olympicsized swimming pools.)
· The new shipping lane depth will be 12.5 metres at chart datum (the lowest of low tides).
* Container volumes are measured in TEUs (20-foot equivalent units – or the size of a standard 20- foot container).
