Contract Award to Concrete Structures
The Whanganui Port Limited Partnership has awarded a contract to Concrete Structures worth $13.5 million to complete the Te Pūwaha Stage One Port civil construction Works.
Mark Petersen, Whanganui Port Limited Partnership chair, said: “Concrete Structures Ltd stood out to us for their expertise in the types of marine structures we are building, their willingness to work in a Te Awa Tupua way, and their initiative to put forward alternative design solutions to assist the project’s timeline and budget.”
“The port rebuild is a high-profile project, with challenging technical construction elements and a strong focus on broader community outcomes, so we are pleased to sign this first contract,” he added.
Importance of Te Pūwaha Project
Whanganui Port Operating Company chair Declan Millin believes that revitalizing the Port within the Te Pūwaha Project is key in the Region’s plans to redevelop the town’s maritime infrastructure to encourage local vessel construction and enhance New Zealand’s coastal shipping network.
Concrete Structures will be carrying out the entirety of the stage one works. This includes the construction of a heavy pavement vessel hardstand and concrete structures out over the water capable of carrying Q-West Boat Builder’s 380-tonne capacity mobile boat hoist, which, when fully laden, will weigh over 550 tonnes.
Funding for this work is split evenly between the Provincial Growth Fund, as managed by Kānoa – Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, and the Whanganui District Council’s investment into the Limited Partnership, which will own the redevelopment assets.
The procurement for the subsequent phases of the works will get underway later this year and into 2024. This will focus on selecting designs and a contractor to rebuild the adjoining two Port wharves and sourcing dredging equipment for the Port.