Eastland Port celebrates successful completion of Wharf 7 reconstruction

The major Wharf 7 development is now complete, within budget and on time, Eastland Port and contractors McConnell Dowell have announced. Looking pretty happy about that are, from left, Marty Bayley (Eastland Port general manager infrastructure and development), Andrew Gaddum (Eastland Port chief operating officer regional infrastructure), Jamie Gallacher (Eastland Port asset manager) and Fraser Wyllie (McConnell Dowell managing director New Zealand and Pacific). Picture supplied

The successful completion of the 18-month project to demolish and rebuild Wharf 7 at Eastland Port has been proudly announced by the port and contractors  McConnell Dowell.

The construction specialists built the 255 metre deck-on-pile wharf which has increased the seismic resilience and improved operational longevity, said Marty Bayley, Eastland Port general manager infrastructure and development.

“This achievement underscores a significant step to enhance Eastland Port’s infrastructure and build resilience for the region.

“The new wharf will play a pivotal role in accommodating larger vessels and open the door to a range of new trade opportunities for Tairāwhiti,” Mr Bayley said.

“It was a massive undertaking by McConnell Dowell but they have executed it professionally, on time, within budget, and most importantly without anyone being hurt or injured — not something many projects of this size can claim.

​“From the outset of their involvement, McConnell Dowell stood out as they looked beyond concrete and steel,” he said.

”They understood and delivered outcomes needed not just for this project, but our business and customers, cultivating trust and integrity in the process.”

Fraser Wyllie, McConnell Dowell managing director New Zealand and Pacific, said the Wharf 7 upgrade had been all about relationships — between the client, contractor, designer (Worley) and stakeholders.

“It is proof of how working together yields a greater outcome.

“Working with the designers and the client we were able to reduce the project’s carbon footprint by around 9729 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

“To put that in perspective you would save that many tonnes of carbon emissions if you took 2192 cars off the road for a year,” Mr Wyllie said.

“There were challenges along the way, including Cyclone Gabrielle, but it was cooperation between everyone from supply chain to management to tackle challenges like water shortages that kept the job on track.

“We were even able to finish a section of the wharf deck early and were proud to play a small part in the port’s fantastic regional recovery initiative.

“We also developed great relationships with local suppliers and sub-contractors, and leveraged their capability, which also reduced the carbon footprint.”

Mr Bayley said a critical requirement of the project was to ensure port export operations were not impeded throughout the project.

“The meticulous planning and collaboration with our operators to ensure this happened within a very congested site is a testament to the expertise and collaborative efforts of the entire project team,” he said.

“The completion of this rebuild marks a new era which will support our region’s growth and prosperity.

“We already have 10 ‘boutique- sized’ cruise ships booked in to berth on Wharf 7 for this summer.”

McConnell Dowell and Eastland Port extended their gratitude to all stakeholders for their “unwavering” support throughout the project.

“The collaboration and shared vision have resulted in a remarkable achievement that will continue to benefit the region for decades to come.”