Lyttelton Port’s channel deepening project has seen the arrival of one of the world’s biggest dredges.
The Fairway arrived in Lyttelton Harbour on August 27 and will begin work to increase the navigation channel by around 2.5km in length and 20 metres wide.
Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) chief executive Peter Davie says the dredging programme will enable larger container ships to enter the harbour.
It is estimated this will decrease freight costs for Lyttelton customers by more than 10%.
The work will occur in stages and will take around 12 weeks to complete.
Stage one will allow vessels with a 13.3 metre draught to call at Lyttelton. Futures stages will allow unrestricted sailing for 14.5 metre draught vessels across all tides.
“The channel deepening will provide Canterbury’s importers and exporters the best possible and most cost-effective international shipping solutions,” Davie says.
The Fairway has travelled from Mumbai, India, but first made a stop in Singapore for cleaning before arriving at Lyttelton Harbour.
The initial stage of the dredging programme was awarded to Netherlands-based contractor Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V.
It’s the first time the global operator has worked in New Zealand.
Fairway captain Marco de Bruin is leading a crew of 35 over the next 12 weeks as the dredge gets to work.
