CentrePort in Wellington is slowly resuming some normal services following damage caused by last week’s earthquake, but challenges still remain.
Chief executive Derek Nind says the port is moving from an assessment phase to a more operational phase, with cars and logs both arriving by ship.
“A limited container service has begun, and full containers are now being delivered to importers by rail,” Nind says.
“We’re continuing to undertake detailed inspections of the damage sustained on the Aratere’s ferry terminal. Initial repairs have already commenced.”
Cruise ships and the HMNZS Otago are also scheduled to visit, while a crane will be used to repair the damaged BNZ building on CentrePort’s land
However, Nind says there’s still much work to be done.
“Some of the damage will create significant challenges for CentrePort in the future. The port’s container cranes are currently non-operational and there is liquefaction and substantial differentiated settlement across the container operations area.
“We all appreciate the importance of the port for the wider Wellington region, which makes the resumption of many services particularly welcome at this difficult time.”
