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May 11, 2009 PORT TARANAKI BEHIND TARANAKI RUGBY
Port Taranaki will take prime position on the back of the amber and black jersey after signing a major sponsorship deal with Taranaki Rugby. As emphatic supporters of Taranaki Rugby for the past decade, the three year agreement increases Port Taranaki's commitment to help grow the game in the province and promises to be mutually beneficial for both organisations and the wider Taranaki Community. Progressive by nature, Port Taranaki has evolved to be one of the leading generators of regional income and, as one of the largest local employers, is a truly valuable asset to the province. In turn, Port Taranaki's passion and enthusiasm for the Taranaki region is reflected in their continued support of the community through its sponsorship of surf lifesaving, swimming, youth learn to sail programmes, DOC seaweek, the lifeboat service, the Taranaki Festival of the Arts and a number of environmental projects including establishing an innovative propagation unit at Motorua School. The major sponsorship of Taranaki Rugby is being undertaken alongside sponsorship of Taranaki Golf which will see Port Taranaki involved in two of the most popular sports in the region. It is this willingness to contribute to our community that underpins their long standing partnership with Taranaki Rugby. Port Taranaki Business Development Manager Jon Hacon believes given the uncertain global economic conditions, it's imperative to maintain support for organisations that embody the region's culture and Taranaki Rugby plays an integral part in promoting the province “There is no better time for the Port to support its Province than now. The economic climate is uncertain, there is a drying up of sponsorship money in the region and we have a Union that has a determination to make a substantial mark in the ANZC this year” said Mr Hacon, “the Port similarly is looking to make inroads at a national level, the fit couldn't be better” he added. By finally adding Golf Taranaki to its sponsorship portfolio Mr Hacon believes that the Port will now bring benefit to the majority of the community. Taranaki Rugby's Chief Executive Mark Robinson is equally enthusiastic about the strong community vision the two organisations share. “Port Taranaki and Taranaki Rugby are both iconic brands in the province and we are delighted with our association. It is reassuring to know that not only is the Port investing in a community game such as rugby, but that it is prepared to use the Union's flagship team to help promote itself both within and outside of the province as it continues to grow. Like many organisations we face challenging times and it is great that key companies in our community are getting in behind community organizations. This also means that all of our jersey sponsors are local Taranaki companies and we are delighted that our own people are right behind the team and allowing us to compete at the highest level.” The new agreement follows on from TenderLink's announcement as new principal sponsors of Taranaki Rugby earlier in the year. Port Taranaki's renewed commitment will ensure that support for Taranaki Rugby is localised which is a wonderful testament to these progressive Taranaki businesses. With the challenges ahead for provincial rugby, much confidence can be gained from forming foundations with like minded organisations which benefit the Taranaki community by ensuring our province continues to flourish. Port Taranaki's investment in rugby will help ensure the TenderLink Taranaki team continues to compete in New Zealand's premier domestic competition. April 5, 2009 Courtesy of Tri NZ TARANAKI TURNS ON A STUNNER AS DOCHERTY AND SWEETLAND STAMP THEIR CLASS ON CONTINENTAL CUP RACES
Taranaki turned on its Sunday best for the finale to the Port Taranaki World Tri Festival with the ITU Continental Cup races held in New Plymouth today. Three days of stunning weather and action were rounded out in style as Kirsten Sweetland (Canada) and Bevan Docherty (NZL) took the honours on a testing course under clear sunny skies. Sweetland confirmed her great form after her second World Cup win in Mooloolaba last weekend, running clear of Nicky Samuels (NZL) and Kiyomi Niwata (Japan). The tiny 20 year old was delighted with her win and a great start to 2009. “I feel great, delighted to win here although this was a different race to last week. Last week I raced from behind but this week it was from in front for such a long time in the race. “I felt in control of my own race the whole time. I can't control what the other girls are doing but I felt a good energy out there today, the people were nice and cheering me on which was tough with a couple of Kiwi girls alongside or behind me the whole way.” Sweetland broke clear on the bike along with Samuels and Andrea Hewitt (New Zealand). The three worked superbly together on the undulating 6 lap course and with world number two in 2008 Felicity Abram (Australia) suffering mechanical failure and a puncture behind them, the three ‘heavyweights’ in the race looked set to battle it out. Samuels wasn't helped as she suffered a ten second stand down penalty at the end of the bike leg, enforced due to the Wanaka athlete mounting her bike too soon at the start of the 40km. The Wanaka athlete was philosophical about the result but pleased with another strong performance. “I tried to go a couple of times on the bike but my legs didn't have it in them today. I think with just the three of us out it made it a little harder to break clear, each time they quickly closed me down. It was tough as I didn't want to waste myself totally but I knew to beat Kirsten I had to try and go clear on the bike.” As for the stand down, Samuels was not so sure. “All I can say is I would love to see the video footage, I thought I was on after the line.” Hewitt led early in the run but suffered the effects of her runner up finish at the Singapore 70.3 (half Ironman) two weeks ago and faded to fourth, with Niwata posting the second quickest run split (36:19) after Sweetland to finish on the podium. The men's race was full of drama. First was the sight of race favourites Bevan Docherty and Kris Gemmell missing the lead group out of the water, with young Australians Shane Barrie, Ben Allen and Clayton Fettell leading the way, the Kiwis 20 seconds back in the pack. But it wasn't long before both rode up to a lead group of a dozen riders and they set to work to put some distance on a big chase group. For Gemmell though, that work along with his hopes came crashing down as he crashed at almost 60kph. “It was no one's fault really, there was a bump in the road right on the corner,” said a grazed and bruised Gemmell after the race. “Clayton Fettell got on the wrong side of the bump, his back wheel jumped out and caught my front wheel and I had nowhere to go, it was either straight through the barriers and break something or down and lose some skin. I chose the latter and here I am. I love coming to this race and again I am in great shape, it just seems I have trouble getting to the finish line.” With that the group lost momentum and the chase pack closed, forming a lead group of 25 to 30 riders for the remainder of the 40km until young New Zealander Martin Van Barneveld broke on the final lap to lead into transition by 32 seconds. Docherty didn't wait long though before he assumed the lead and control of the race, running comfortably within himself to win by ten seconds from New Plymouth favourite Clark Ellice and Andreas Raelert (Germany). “Once Kris crashed we lost a lot of power in the group, we lost momentum and were caught by the others and it was going to come down to the run,” said Docherty. “That was comfortable for me, the ride wasn't as tough as some thought it was going to be so overall it was an easy day. ”I haven't been pushed yet this year so it is hard to tell just how good my form is but certainly feel fine. This is a great place to come and race and the crowd once again was superb, so too was the weather. But we'll find out just how good I am going in a month in Korea for the first World Championship race.” Local favourite Clark Ellice received the biggest ovation when called to the podium. The New Plymouth athlete admitting afterwards that it was the home support that kept him going on the final lap. “Man I was working so hard. I was just saying to myself make it hurt bro', you can sleep all day tomorrow. I had a few goose bumps thanks to the noise and support of the crowd on the final lap. I guess to finish second to Bevan is not so bad, maybe next year I can finish in front of him.” 
ITU Continental Cup
December 01, 2008 Port Goes Green With New Office Block
The port company initially engaged New Plymouth architect Ian Pritchard about three years ago to help with the new administrative building it was considering constructing. "I introduced port management to the concept of a 'green' building and they were immediately receptive," recalls Ian Pritchard. "As a leading organisation within the region, it was an opportunity for the port company to do the right thing and lead by example. The building form, materials and mechanical installations are the direct result of a robust, pragmatic analysis of best practice passive solar design principals and environmentally sustainable design." He says one of the key aspects of the new Bayly Rd building – which in mid-November was "on budget and ahead of schedule" for completion next July – is the smart energy devices. In the new building, when employees go to the toilet, the water used to flush the toilet, or urinal, will come from the office building's roof. When they drive to work and park their vehicles in the carpark, any contaminated rainwater dripping off vehicles will flow into a "rain garden" filled with special plants to filter that water before it enters the city's stormwater system. There will be covered bicycle racks, showers and lockers for staff who cycle, run or walk to work. Besides Ian Pritchard Architects, other foundation partners include main building contractor Clelands Construction and project managers KCL Property. Ian Pritchard also mentions company e Cubed Building Workshop as having had a significant input into the port project. That firm, with offices in Auckland and Wellington, synthesises traditional mechanical and electrical services engineering design with new sustainable design trends, with the aim of reducing energy and water use by 40-50% when compared to conventional solutions. Contractors started earthworks at the Bayly Rd site in late September and the development has to proceed smoothly as the next World Cup Series race of the International Triathlon Union to be held in New Plymouth is scheduled for April, 2009. "The cycle leg is being modified so that the course will loop around the port company's new administrative headquarters, so the road and surrounds will have to be ready before then," Ian Pritchard adds. The Bayly Rd houses removed to make way for the new block were not demolished, but transported off site for future use. Concrete from paths, pavements and driveways has been crushed, to be reused as hard fill, and vegetation mulched to be used in the restoration of an old quarry site near Egmont Village. Contractors are regularly sorting through rubbish, seeing what can be recycled. Many of the materials used in the new offices will also be "green". Ceramic tiles will be used, rather than polyvinyl chloride (PVC) enriched materials. Carpet tiles will be made of 100% recycled materials. Where possible, wood will be used instead of aluminium because less energy is needed to create wooden materials, than the energy-intensive aluminium process. And none of the wood will contain formaldehyde. The building will face north and be of a passive solar design, with large areas of the interior capturing the sun's light and heat during the winter, but not during summer, reducing requirements for air conditioning and heating. Much of the structure will be pre-cast concrete that the sun will heat during the day and remain warm for most of the night. Outside there will be rain gardens but few lawns, minimising the need for lawn mowers. In New Zealand, the responsibility of making new and existing commercial buildings as environmentally friendly as possible rests on the privately run New Zealand Green Building Council established about two years ago. The council has adopted a Green Star rating system that uses a points scoring system and evaluates buildings against a total of nine categories – management, indoor environment quality, energy, transport, water, materials, land use and ecology, emissions, and innovation. A total of 45-59 points indicates industry best practice and a four-star rating. A total of 60-74 points signifies New Zealand excellence and gets five stars. Six stars are only awarded to those projects scoring 75-100 points and signifying world leadership status. Only a handful of buildings around New Zealand have so far received Green Star certification from the council and, as yet, none in Taranaki. So Ian Pritchard is aiming high – "for five-star recognition" – from the Council for the Port office block that will be Taranaki's first fully-fledged environmentally friendly building. December 01, 2008 Launch of Prized Port Vessel
Port Taranaki chairman John Young said the event – attended by about 60 people including New Plymouth Mayor Peter Tennent – was another milestone in the history of the port and of significance to both Maori and Pakeha. He said the name Rawinia was the name of the Maori wife of whaling pioneer and early European Taranaki resident Dicky Barrett. It was therefore very appropriate that Rawinia's great-great-great-granddaughter, Julie Johns, named the vessel. The Rev Albie Martin blessed the boat and her crew. The port has had two vessels named Rawinia. The first vessel Rawinia was a pilot launch that serviced the port for 40 years until 2000 when it was sold to an enthusiast. After the ceremony, port chief executive Roy Weaver presented Julie Johns, Jean Ruakere and Mary Oorthuis – all of the Ngati Te Whiti hapu within Te Atiawa iwi – with mounted models of the Rawinia as a mementos of the ocassion. Ngati Te Whiti's traditional rohe (boundary) encompasses the greater port area. Rawinia was built to service the Pohokura platform. The platform is usually unmanned as the whole field is run remotely by field operator Shell Exploration New Zealand from its New Plymouth offices. However, every month or so, two crew on the Rawinia will transfer up to 10 maintenance crews from the port to the platform for regular inspections. It is also important for maintenance crews to be able to reach the platform around the clock, 365 days a year, if necessary to deal with any possible urgent problems with the platform or its production of gas and condensate (light oil). Port operations manager Captain Ray Barlow said the vessel and its crew would also occasionally act as back-ups for the pilot boats, transferring pilots on to or from ships using the port. The port's launch Westgate will also be used as a back-up vessel to the Rawinia, undergoing some modifications for that role. Captain Barlow added that the design of the Rawinia was quite sophisticated and that it fully complied with all necessary Maritime New Zealand regulations. The vessel can operate in sea swells of up to three metres and it has the ability to "self right" – it has enough buoyancy so that it automatically returns upright if knocked over by waves. It can also be used as a temporary refuge for oil and gas workers. The $1.6 million craft was designed by Auckland firm Bakewell-White Yacht Design and constructed by Wanganui's Q-West boat builders specifically for Port Taranaki. The Rawinia-Pohokura contract is for an initial ten years, with extension options. Shell Exploration NZ chairman Rob Jager said the technologically advanced craft would play an important part in safely servicing the Pohokura field, New Zealand's largest gas resource. Pohokura - with total gas reserves of about 1000 billion cubic feet, making it about a quarter the size of the original Maui field further south - has been producing since August 2006 and is expected to continue helping fuel New Zealand industry to 2020 and beyond. October 01, 2008 Pacifica Adds Port Taranaki To Weekly Coastal Schedule  image courtesy of Pacifica Shipping
Pacifica vessel unloading 40' boxes at Port Taranaki.
Pacifica Shipping will start regular weekly calls to Port Taranaki later this month in response to cargo growth and demand for regular coastal services into and out of the region. Richard Allan, Pacifica's national sales and distribution manager, said the container vessel Spirit of Resolution will call at Port Taranaki on its northbound leg linking Lyttelton, Nelson and Auckland's Port of Onehunga. “The vessel will arrive on Wednesdays and leave the same day, which results in no change to its existing arrival time into Onehunga,” he said. “To enable the schedule to be retained, the vessel will depart from Lyttelton late Monday evening, instead of Tuesday. “The first visit to Port Taranaki will be on Wednesday, 22nd October.” Mr Allan said cargo growth out of the South Island destined for North Island ports and markets has increased steadily in the past year. “We are carrying more goods for trans-shipment out of the country, including export products from Canterbury and Nelson in particular, “Some of this cargo is destined for onward shipment out of Port Taranaki, but we will also be picking up trans-shipped freight for onward delivery into New Zealand markets.” In addition, he said there was rising demand for domestic goods flowing into and out of the Taranaki region and its hinterland. “The region has very strong energy production and agricultural output, which creates demand for a regular and efficient transport link to other main centres.” Port Taranaki chief executive, Roy Weaver, said existing and new port users would welcome the arrival of Pacifica's weekly coastal service. “They will certainly benefit from having a regular domestic connection to Christchurch and the wider South Island, as well as to Auckland markets,” he said. “While Spirit of Resolution has called on occasions in the past to unload containerised cargo for export, this scheduled service will provide certainty and reliability for both current and prospective clients.” He said Port Taranaki was pleased to be actively participating in the revival of coastal shipping services, in line with Government's Sea Change strategic goals for the transport sector. For more info: Richard Allan, Tel 021 321 336 or Roy Weaver, Tel 0274 343 634 Saturday, 20 September 2008 Courtesy of By JAYNE HULBERT and The Daily News Port company judged supreme Taranaki firm  image courtesy of MARK DWYER and the Taranaki Daily News Port Taranaki business development manager Jon Hacon and wife Claire, left, with company chairman John Young, right, and wife Margaret at the Westpac Business Awards in New Plymouth last night. Port Taranaki was the big winner at the Taranaki business awards last night. The company took out the extra large business award at this year's Westpac Taranaki Chamber of Commerce Business Awards before being named the award's supreme winner. The port company was also commended in the employer of choice award. The judges said Port Taranaki's leadership team had built and positioned itself well for a healthy future. They said the communication and understanding throughout such a large company was to be applauded. Port Taranaki was one of 61 entries in a bid to find the region's best businesses, up 17 on last year's event. New Plymouth manufacturing company Howard Wright won the large business award, Elite Kitchens took out the medium business award and the small business award winner was Eagars Funeral Services. This year's black tie awards event was held at the New Plymouth Club. Awards:
March 03, 2008 Courtesy of ROB MAETZIG and The Daily News LNG plan to create 300 jobs A construction workforce of about 300 will be required for up to four years if the $600-million liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal proposed for Port Taranaki goes ahead. And at the peak of the construction project there will be one return truck movement every 3.5 minutes along the city's key transport routes. These facts were among information supplied by energy giants Contact and Genesis at community open days in New Plymouth this weekend. Contact and Genesis are partners in a 50:50 joint venture called Gasbridge, which is about to seek resource consents to build an LNG import terminal at the port. The terminal, which will only be built if domestic gas supplies fall to a level where gas needs to be imported, would be capable of importing about half of New Zealand's total annual gas requirements. Ever since it was announced 17 months ago that Port Taranaki had been selected as the location of the LNG terminal, there has been local disquiet over the project's impact on the immediate environment, and the safety of having the facility so close to urban New Plymouth. Yesterday Genesis spokesman Richard Gordon said this was the reason behind the weekend's community open days - to provide as much up-to-date information as possible to locals. "We've had a lot of people visit us during both days, and we've been able to tell them about the results of studies that have been completed to date, and show them various visuals of what the project would look like." Mr Gordon said the visiting public had been "mostly supportive". The biggest concerns were over such issues as road traffic, construction noise and the project's impact on the environment. Latest Gasbridge studies show that construction works would employ a peak temporary workforce of 200 staff per day for about 10 months during the second year of construction. If private cars were the only mode of transport to and from work, about 165 vehicles would be used, and in the context of the existing traffic volumes across the local road network, the impact of this could be minimal, says a report. The studies have also concluded that peak construction traffic would be 135 return trips per day - excluding workers' vehicles - which on the basis of an eight-hour working day equates to one return truck movement every 3.5 minutes spread over key city routes and between a proposed fuel oil storage facility overlooking the port and the proposed LNG storage tank area adjacent to the New Plymouth power station. "Given that more than 40% of this truck traffic relates to localised truck movement between the fuel oil and the LNG storage facilities, the truck traffic impacts on arterial roads will be minimal," says the report. It adds that once construction has been completed and the LNG facility commissioned, during the day typically between 12 and 30 personnel will be on site, reducing to less than five during the night shifts. March 03, 2008 Courtesy of ROB MAETZIG and The Daily News Surfers Set To Ride Out Any Change To City Break Deepening Port Taranaki has already knocked 5 percent off the height of one of New Plymouth's best surf breaks and the development of an LNG terminal might affect it by a further 10 percent. But New Plymouth surfers don't seem too worried about the future of the Belt Rd surf break, saying the impact of the port developments don't appear to be as bad as first feared. "And quite frankly, New Plymouth has to have its port," said New Plymouth Surfriders Club secretary Allen Pidwell yesterday. He is also full of praise for the relationship those behind the Gasbridge LNG proposal have established with local surfriders, saying they have kept them fully in the information loop. When it was announced that Port Taranaki had been selected as the preferred location for the LNG terminal, and that it might involve a 200m-wide reclamation on the outside of the main breakwater, surfers feared a swell "shadow" created by a reclamation might ruin all surfing along the New Plymouth waterfront to the mouth of the Te Henui Stream. But the project's plans have been refined, and there is no reclamation planned. Instead, two 100m-long lateral "finger" extensions to the breakwater would be built, to enhance protection to an LNG carrier berth that would be developed along the inside of the breakwater. As part of preparations for applying for the resource consents to enable the $600-million project go ahead, Gasbridge commissioned a special study of its potential impacts on the Belt Rd surf break, which is the closest to the port. A report on the study, made public at community open days in New Plymouth this weekend, says there are two surf breaks at Belt Rd - a left-hander and a right-hander, with the westernmost left-hand break the most popular because it is typically larger and often has a better unbroken face for surfing. Belt Rd is a well-used surfing resource, because it "works" during large wave events or in stormy weather when all other New Plymouth breaks are unsurfable. "Modelling results indicate that recent capital dredging at Port Taranaki to deepen the entrance channel to the port has influenced the wave patterns at the Belt Rd surf break," the report says. "Wave heights at the left-hand break have been reduced by 5 percent on the take-off zone, and increased by approximately the same amount on the inside section of the surfer's ride. "With the proposed Gasbridge modifications, modelling suggests that the break will continue to function, although the wave heights along the ride could change by up to 10 percent over what occurs at present." The report says the likely impacts on wave quality for surfing would depend on specific factors. These include swell height, period and direction, pertaining at a particular time. "However, it is recognised that there will be an effect on the surf break, and some reduction in the breaking wave height." February 13, 2008 Courtesy of PetroleumNews.Net Vessels and Equipment Converge on Taranaki for Maari THE specialist dive support-installation vessel Toisa Proteus has arrived at New Plymouth to help with the installation of the platform and the floating production, storage and offtake vessel Raroa for the $US457 million ($A520 million) Maari oil project off Taranaki, New Zealand. The 8402-tonne United Kingdom Sealion-operated vessel arrived at Port Taranaki from Singapore earlier this week and left early today after loading some of the steel piles for the Maari wellhead platform (WHP), plus other equipment. The reeled flowlines, umbilical and mooring buoy for the FPSO, which arrived at the New Plymouth port earlier, are still there, waiting for the Toisa Proteus to take them out to the Maari field later. The Maari WHP, being built in Malaysia, is about 75% complete, and is due to arrive in Taranaki waters next month. Once the WHP is installed - and the jack-up Ensco Rig 107 has finished the three development wells for the more northern $NZ1.08 billion ($A942 million) Kupe gas project - drilling of the scheduled eight Maari wells, five production and three injection wells, is due to start. Maari junior partner Horizon Oil estimates first oil to be about mid-August, based on the anticipated arrival of the Ensco 107 at the Maari wellsite in mid-June. The Toisa Proteus is also scheduled to help install the flowlines and umbilical once the FPSO, which is over 89% complete, arrives in Taranaki waters. Fitzroy Engineering Group's 110-tonne mid-water arch is also at the port, waiting to be taken out to the site about 80km off the south Taranaki coast. The arch is needed to reduce stresses on flowlines as they rise from the WHP to Raroa about 1.5km away. The New Plymouth-headquartered engineering group will also be involved in the installation, hook-up and commissioning of the WHP, and linking the development's subsea wellheads with the FPSO for the main Maari engineering contractor, Perth-based Clough. The Maari partners are operator OMV (69%), Todd Energy (16%), Horizon Oil (10%) and Cue Energy Resources (5%). |
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Taranaki's first specifically designed "green" building – that is green by nature, not by colour – will be a three-storey office block belonging to Port Taranaki Limited overlooking New Plymouth's Ngamotu Beach.
Port Taranaki now has its first vessel dedicated to servicing an offshore oil and gas platform. The 17.5 metre long, 20 tonne aluminium rigid inflatable boat 'Rawinia' was officially named, blessed and launched at a special function at the New Plymouth port in late September.