Two large Fletcher cranes have appeared at the end of Bledisloe Wharf at the Ports of Auckland, but it is not known if this signals a start to work on two wharf extensions.
Stop Stealing Our Harbour spokesman Michael Goldwater said the cranes were not there early yesterday morning, but he saw them later in the day as he passed the wharf in a yacht.
As well as the cranes, pile casings and mobile worker huts have appeared at the end of the wharf, where the port company has resource consent to build the extensions about 100m into the harbour.
The ports company has not responded to questions from the Herald about the cranes and work on the extensions.
A spokeswoman for Fletcher Building said the company did not comment on contracts and referred the Herald to the ports company.
A Fletcher subsidiary, Brian Perry Civil, has a $22 million contract to build the extensions.
Auckland Council has asked the port company to halt work until a wide-ranging study on the ports is done.
The ports board is meeting today to consider a letter to that effect from the council body that oversees the plans and financial performance of the port.