Community Newsletter - April 2022 by south-port-nz

MAI I TE WAPU

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the first edition of the South Port Community Newsletter – Mai i te Wāpu (from the Wharf) - for 2022. As always, it is our pleasure to keep you informed about infrastructure projects, news, events, and general information about the Port.

As well as the information that we publish in this newsletter, we continue to provide updates on Port happenings on our Facebook page (SouthPortNZ) and on our website (www.southport.co.nz).

A NOTE FROM THE NEW EDITOR

Kia ora all, my name is Charlotte Scoles and I am the new editor of your local Mai i te Wāpu - Community Newsletter. My husband, three sons and I have recently relocated down south from the Taieri Plains in Otago, having given up my posting at Dunedin Airport to join the team here at South Port. I look forward to meeting many of you in the near future.

SOUTH PORT IS NOW ON INSTAGRAM

South Port has joined the world of Instagram! If you have any photos of this amazing part of the world that you'd like to share with us, please tag us in your posts on Instagram (SouthPortNZ) with the hashtag #BeautifulBluff

In doing so, you might just see your photo feature in the next edition of Mai i te Wāpu. We've got some great spot prizes on offer for our budding photographers in the community!

CHANGING GEARS

As most Port observers will know, on a daily basis, there are upward of 700 vehicle movements (mostly trucks) through the security gate on our access bridge. When on the Island Harbour there are multiple pieces of large machinery working in and around the log yards, the terminal, and warehouses. On the water, we deal with both small and large vessels entering the Port, while also operating our own tugs and pilot vessel.

All of this activity creates risk, and as it involves large gear it can be pretty unforgiving when something goes wrong.

This awareness was heightened recently with two fatalities being recorded in the port industry, Lyttelton Port Company, and Ports of Auckland. We take health and safety very seriously at the Port with ‘Safety First’ being our most important value; however, these two tragic events remind us that we need to continually improve what we do each day to ensure that our staff and other Port users get home safely to their whānau.

In 2021 we embarked on an $11M upgrade of the town wharf accessway, pipeline corridor, and discharge platform. It is pleasing to say that this work was recently completed and will provide an estimated 50+ years of life to this wharf infrastructure.

For a large portion of the construction period, part of the foreshore roadway was blocked off to allow activities to continue safely. We would like to say a big thank you to the Bluff community for their patience and understanding over this time.

Port observers may also be aware that our usual tankers berthed at the Town Wharf, Matuku and Kokako are no longer calling at the Port. With the closure of the oil refinery at Marsden Point, all fuel is now being imported directly from offshore and therefore we will be seeing a variety of different vessels calling at the Port going forward.

It was pleasing in February that Rio Tinto announced that they could see a future for “New Zealand's Aluminium Smelter (NZAS) to continue operating and contributing to the local and national economies beyond 2024”. While there is ‘a lot of water to go under the bridge’ this statement is an important step in the process of NZAS working towards a future after December 2024 and extending the 50+ years they have been working with the Port.

Over the past month, we celebrated Glen Hourston reaching 40 years of service at the Port which is a great achievement and commitment to one organisation (article contained within this newsletter). Glen now also joins Peter Cade and Blair Cousins who recently also reached this milestone. This length of commitment is now becoming a rarity and it is unlikely that we will see another employee reach this length of service for many years to come.

Finally, we have almost reached the end of South Port’s financial year (ending 30 June 2022). This past year has thrown up its fair share of challenges once again, however, we have a great team operating at the port which always helps us to navigate issues, such as Covid, and move forward in a positive manner.

Ngā mihi nui,

Nigel

BRIDGE RENOVATION PROJECT

One major infrastructure project being undertaken at South Port is the renovation of the Island Harbour Bridge. In recent years the access bridge has suffered increasing deterioration from chloride (salt water) induced corrosion and while the initial strategy was to undertake patch repairs as required, the corrosion was starting to occur at an ever-increasing rate. Therefore, it was decided in 2017 to start repairing the underdeck of each bay fully and install an ICCP (Impressed Current Cathodic Protection) system for the bridge, starting with the bay having the highest amount of concrete degradation to the one with the least.

A view from under the bridge

This has involved setting up a scaffold under the particular bay being worked on then chipping and hydro blasting out all weakened concrete and welding in supplementary reinforcing steel beside the corroded reinforcing steel. The breakouts are then reinstated with concrete using guncrete.

Finally, the ICCP system is installed, more concrete is added and the bay is waterproofed and sealed, noting the entire operation is carried out under the influence of the rise and fall of the tides.

Impressed Current Cathodic Protection (ICCP) systems consist of one or more reference electrodes and several ICCP anodes which are all connected to a power supply. The reference cells measure the underwater electrical protection potential and based on this data, the power supply regulates the required output to the anodes. In the case of the Island Harbour Bridge, a titanium mesh (which acts as the anode) is concreted into the underdeck of the bridge. A slight positive current is passed through the mesh which attracts the chlorides in the salt water (which have a negative charge) away from the reinforcing steel, thus protecting the bridge from further corrosion. The process is based on the same principle as the zincs on a fishing boat which prevents corrosion between the propeller and boat's steel.

Once the underdeck of the bridge is repaired, the piles will become the focus. Although the piles are in much better condition, they will be monitored regularly, and similar ICCP repairs will be installed on an as-required basis.

At the time of writing, there were just two bays left to do giving an estimated time of completion during the 2023 financial year.

Site Engineer Andrew Hill is happy with the progress of the bridge renovation

SOUTH RAIL REDEVELOPMENT

Construction of the South Rail Log Yard is underway, which will see the area upgraded from gravel to asphalt. Prior to the pavement installation, new underground services will be installed including a stormwater treatment system and fire hydrants.

The project covers 17,000m² of space. It is expected to be completed in October 2022.

PORT OPEN DAY POSTPONED

Unfortunately due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the South Port Open Day event scheduled to be held on Sunday, March 20, 2022, was postponed.

At this stage, we haven’t confirmed when the open day will be held, but anticipate it will be early 2023.

If you have any questions or would like an email update once the new event goes live, please contact us at comms@southport.co.nz

GLEN HOURSTON'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY

1 April marked Glen Hourston’s 40th anniversary with South Port (and its predecessor, the Southland Harbour Board). While Glen doesn’t usually like being the focus of attention, he’s aware that this milestone is a “pretty big deal”.

Over the years, Glen has witnessed a lot of change at the Port, especially with increases in container cargo volumes over the past few years. “There’s not much I haven’t done, or machinery I haven’t operated. In my time I've worked on the syncrolift, weighbridge, linkspan – the only thing I never worked on was the old meat loaders… I even did security, filling in at the gatehouse when it was on the other side of the bridge and only manned at nights and weekends”. In his current position in the Terminal, he enjoys doing the rail as there’s a bit more responsibility and variety, and he is regularly out of the cab checking twist locks and other rail requirements.

Of all the machinery Glen has operated, the Liebherr crane stands out and he counts his time as a member of the crane crew as a highlight.

One memorable occasion he recalls was a Port Open Day after we’d purchased the first Liebherr mobile harbour crane. We celebrated with bungy jumps by the Port’s Business Development Manager, Derek Nind (who later went on to become the Chief Executive at Wellington’s CentrePort) and two Liebherr reps from Austria. Derek ended up being dunked deep into the water, all while wearing his business suit and fancy crocodile shoes.

On another occasion, when the then Prime Minister Jim Bolger was visiting the Port, Glen was supervising in the crane while the PM was at the controls “swinging a container around like he was digging a trench on the farm!”

Glen fondly recalls the old days when Tom Shirley was the Chairman and Neil Cantrick the General Manager. The Port wasn’t as busy as it is today, and there were more opportunities for social mixing and mingling.

He even recalls the Chairman occasionally shouting a keg or two after board meetings, which indicates how ‘old’ the old days were!

Of course, no story is complete without recognising that South Port holds a very special place in Glen’s heart – after all, it’s where he met his lovely wife Susan who used to work in the payroll office.

“Sue used to bring the payslip envelopes over to R&D - she used to hate me because I was always joking around”.

Thanks for all that you do, Glen. We love your work!

STAFF PROFILE - Mike O'Hara

Mike O’Hara joined South Port in September 2014 and spent five years in the Dairy Warehousing department as a forklift/stores operator before transferring to the Container Terminal in September 2019.

Mike is highly regarded for his skill, experience, and teamwork, and is known for his friendly outgoing personality – he has a well-deserved reputation for being a team player and ‘good sort’.

As a member of the Depot Team, Mike is regularly rostered for continuous container vessel exchanges. He is trained to operate a range of heavy machinery (container handlers) and is scheduled to start intensive in-house training on the mobile harbour cranes shortly, something he is looking forward to.

Mike is focused on his long-term career at the Port. He thrives on the challenge of learning new skills and always prioritises safety and efficiency. The highlight of his career so far is being signed off as a container surveyor by the IICL (Institute of International Container Lessors), and he is now involved in training, coaching, and mentoring trainee surveyors.

In addition to his ‘core’ duties, Mike is also trained as a deckhand and lines handler and is regularly called on for shipping. He’s also a union delegate, which occasionally sees him sitting across the table from management representatives. So, all in all he certainly keeps himself busy!

Mike is a Bluffie, and loves living and working in such a close-knit and supportive community. Outside of work he loves nothing better than spending time with family and friends, and can often be found playing pool down at the local pub. He enjoys getting out on the sea and fishing whenever he gets the chance.

BLUFF RUGBY CLUB

The start of the whutuporo (rugby) season is underway, and as such, South Port would like to give our local club a shout-out.

Bluff Rugby Club has had a longstanding relationship with South Port, which kicked off back in 1989 when the premier team was aptly named "South Port Bluff". In 1996 this sponsorship was transferred to naming rights on the jerseys, which continues annually to this day.

Ka pai, best of luck lads!

TE RAU AROHA MARAE SUPPORT

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He Tāngata! He Tāngata! He Tāngata! What is the most important thing in the world? The People! The People! The People!

Te Rau Aroha Marae, located in Bluff, is the world’s southern-most marae, which was opened in 1985. Maria (Mali) Morgan is the marae’s Kaitiaki/Marae Coordinator. Mali's late mother Huhana (Hana) Pokiri Morgan (nee Bradshaw) was the Kaiwhakahaere of the marae. Hana was a founding member of the marae, and her mana and wairua live on through Mali’s mahi and kaupapa. Mali sees her role as providing manaakitanga and awhina to the people and drawing them back to the whenua. The day-to-day operations at the marae include hui (meetings/gatherings), school and group functions, and tangihanga (mourning).

When COVID-19 first struck, it was trying times for some whānau. Mali’s team (Gina Ryan and Marama Johnson) and others became essential workers, preparing ready-to-eat meals. The team knew this was not sustainable, so a program was developed to help people help themselves with kai boxes, recipes, and accompanying information to help them on their journey to creating good, healthy kai at home.

Since COVID-19 has come to Bluff in full force, the Te Rau Aroha Marae team has been preparing kai boxes to give whānau a boost while in isolation.

Two out of three of the marae team were recently put into isolation, with hui still booked, people to feed, and kai boxes to prepare. Mali put the call out to Marama’s daughters, and both pulled people in to help. The Dairy Warehousing crew from South Port were able to send Sha’trece Woods, Chantinee Kelland-Gallie, and Ellie Roberts along to help with this important mahi supporting the community.

The Dairy Warehousing crew enjoyed the marae and are all too keen to go back if needed!

NEW INFORMATION CENTRE FOR BLUFF

If you have made your way down Gore Street of late, you will likely have noticed the works taking place where Slaney and Lee meet the main street. This is the location of Bluff's new Information Kiosk, where the vision is to create a highly appealing and attractive tourism precinct that will, hopefully, generate greater visitor length of stay and visitor spend.

The primary visitor hub has been placed and designed so that those walking or cycling the Te Araroa trail are drawn through this area, to see what Bluff has on offer day or night, as it will be open 24-hours. It has the potential to contain a variety of other tourism-related visitor attractions, facilities, amenities, and services.

In an effort to reuse materials and maintain the history of the area, there are several key focus points within the project. This includes repurposed Australian hardwood dating back to the mid1800's that was removed from the historic Town Wharf during the recent redevelopment. Further stockpiled hardwood that was taken from the wharf will also be donated to other community groups for projects around the region.

The pathway around the Information Kiosk will also feature several old steel bollards.

Bluff's strong Māori heritage will be incorporated not only in text, but with some exciting visual elements to feature as well, which were designed by a talented local artist.

The rocks were hand-picked from Graham Laidlaw's farm out at Greenhills. It has taken a community to bring this grand new focal point to life with many businesses, groups, and individuals coming together to donate their time, service, and funds towards the Kiosk project.

It is hoped that the project will be complete by June 2022.

Tammi Topi - Information Kiosk Steering Group Project Lead, leaning on the new bike rack made partially out of old material from the Town Wharf

SOUTH PORT SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS 2022

We would like to congratulate this year's successful scholarship recipients:

Avthokea (Kea) Fowler | Community Scholarship

Local Bluff resident Kea Fowler has commenced full time study in the Medical Imaging and Applied Science pathway course at the Ara Institute of Canterbury, which will continue onto a Bachelor of Medical Imaging. At the age of fourteen Kea had an injury which needed an x-ray and ultrasound. Kea was fascinated by the details in the imaging, which sparked her interest in becoming a radiographer.

Kea has worked hard to achieve excellent academic results at Verdon College, where she was also a peer support person for Year 7 students.

We wish Kea well on her journey.

Joshua Solomon | Staff Scholarship

Josh was born and raised in the Waikato and moved to Dunedin to study medicine at the University of Otago. After being gone for only five months his parents decided to follow him, so they sold their home in Hamilton and moved to Dunedin as well. Josh is the son of Justine Solomon, who is Nigel’s Executive Assistant.

This is Josh's ninth year of study. He is married with two little tamariki. After high schoool, Josh worked hard to save money and then went on a two-year voluntary service mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in French Polynesia.

Josh is in his last year of a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Degree. Haere pai (go well) Josh!

Hayley Van Beek | Staff Scholarship

Hayley has excelled academically as well as in the sporting domain at James Hargest College and will be commencing her academic journey with the College of Education to study teaching. Hayley is the daughter of Rochelle Van Beek, South Port’s Health and Safety Team Leader.

A competent and determined sportswoman who has represented Southland in netball and basketball, she has successfully managed to juggle her passion for sport in conjunction with her study.

Hayley is very determined to take her sports career further and we wish her well in all aspects of her life.

Hayley receives her award from Rex Chapman (left), whilst Josh accepts his award from Michelle Henderson (right)

STIRLING POINT PILOT STATION RESTORATION

Stirling Point Pilot Station, the "most southern pilot station in the world," was originally built back in 1877, however, the building you see today was built in 1912. The Station was originally manned by two people until the early 1930s when it increased to four people. Houses for the Harbourmaster and Pilots were also situated on the reserve.

Pictured below are Tupu Lavea (left) and Ken Shoemark (right) from the Marine Team. The duo put in some serious mahi in March by giving the walkway a makeover with a fresh coat of paint. He pai te mahi!