MARICO Marine NZ Limited WELLINGTON HARBOUR PORT AND ...

Report No: 05NZ104 WELLINGTON HARBOUR
Issue: Issue 1.1 Operational Risk Assessment
13.3 TUGS
The long service life obtained from the CentrePort tugs has been the result of
a past level of investment. It is fair to also reference considerable annual
maintenance expenditure. By today’s standards, the capital expenditure for
Voith Schenider tugs may be considered excessive in relation to the
movement numbers, but the benefits from 35 years of towage service needs
to be considered against the cost in the decision-making equation.
Section 4.4.1 references a 45% rise in the GT of tonnage using the facilities
at Wellington, thus with constant Bollard Pull, the Bollard Pull to GT ratio
has also been reducing by 45%, significant41 .
Tugs at Wellington were procured after an enquiry Judge42 made appropriate
recommendations about the ability to handle vessels in need of assistance at
or near the harbour entrance (this recommendation was also partly made
from consideration of Search and Rescue needs, which is a function partly
satisfied by Wellington’s Police patrol launch, LADY ELIZABETH. The risk
assessment concludes that the case outlined in the Judge’s recommendation
today remains valid.
Strangely, all who contributed to the study happily agree that if a Harbour
Board was in place today, Wellington would already have an ongoing tug
procurement programme43. Perhaps decision-making information from the
clarity of a risk assessment has not previously been available. The
regulatory structure of the modern New Zealand harbour system has also
fragmented responsibility towards navigation within harbour limits. A
different perception of those having to fund such acquisitions and the true
needs of a ship loading and unloading business may also be a factor.
Authors are always cautious about recommendations associated with towage
as cost is significant and a lower powered tug often results in only a longer
berthing time. However, although Wellington can muster considerable
Bollard Pull across its fleet, Authors cannot conclude that Wellington has
what it needs against the climate it operates in and the tonnage it is
handling, when conditions are at the margin of its operational limitations.
41
This factor is also relevant to vessel load applied to berths and the development of CentrePort.
42
WAHINE Enquiry: The judge Concluded “The fact that no salvage or deep water tug was available at the Port of
Wellington is considered to be a matter for concern …. Wellington is not only a main port but its situation central
to the whole country, and close to Cook Strait, is considered to render the availability of such a tug in Wellington
necessary”.
43
This is not to say that CentrePort is not planning this, it is, but this is in line after container crane and straddle
carrier procurement.
Greater Wellington Regional Council /
CentrePort Ltd Page 88 of 102