Northport Wharf Development Berths 1, 2 and 3

Project: Northport Wharf Development Berths 1, 2 and 3
Location: Marsden Point, Northland, New Zealand
Client: Northport Limited

In 2001 Heron Construction was awarded the Capital Dredging contract for the new Deep Water Port Berths 1 and 2 at Marsden Point for Northport Limited. The contract involved the dredging of approximately 1.7 million m3 of sand to create two new berths and a turning basin to a depth of -12.5m CD.

To achieve the depth and the required production the cutter suction dredge (CSD) Kotuku yet again underwent extensive modifications in Heron’s Papakura and Tauranga yards, including:
 

• New side pontoons were built to provide extra freeboard
• A hydraulically driven Warman 12/10 underwater pump was fitted into a new ladder assembly
• The operator’s cab was extended to allow 24 hour operation
• A 240 volt power supply
• 280m of 350mm diameter floating dredge hose was imported from Holland to improve Kotuku’s production.
• An 800hp booster pump was built in the Papakura yard to replace the existing 500hp booster pump.
• Sound proofing was applied to the Kotuku and booster pump to enable 24 hour operations

The material was pumped to reclamation, and to maintain the tight construction program the vast majority of the dredging was undertaken 24 hours a day 6 day per week. A high level of corporation was also required between Fletchers and Heron to manage the many interface tasks between the wharf construction, dredging and reclamation activities.

In 2006 Northport contacted Heron Construction to dredge and Fletcher Construction to build the new Berth 3 at Marsden Point.

Again the CSD Kotuku dredged 350,000m3 of sands to reclamation to provide a berth and a swinging basin to a depth of -14m CD.