DREDGE TO IMPROVE BLUFF ENTRANCE CHANNEL

Island Harbour
PO Box 1
Bluff 9842
New Zealand
P + 64 3 212 8159
E reception@southport.co.nz
W www.southport.co.nz








NZX & MEDIA RELEASE

8 August 2022



DREDGE TO IMPROVE BLUFF ENTRANCE CHANNEL


South Port has contracted Heron Construction Company Ltd to remove
fractured or fragmented rock that remains in the Port entrance channel
from previous dredging campaigns.

The work will be carried out under an existing coastal permit already
issued by Environment Southland under the Resource Management Act.

This will enable South Port to remove any already blasted or fragmented
rock that remains in the channel from previous ‘capital dredging’
campaigns over 40 years ago.

Blasting of the channel completed in the 1980s saw some fragmented
rock unable to be retrieved due to the engineering limitations of
dredging machinery available at the time.

This fractured rock is a potential impediment to planned future capital
dredging operations, which are the subject of a current resource
consent application.

The proposed six-week clearance work does not include any blasting
activity.

Dredging is anticipated to commence between 15
th
and 21
st
August
and be completed towards the end of September 2022. There are
several variables associated with a project such as this, and therefore
this timeline is subject to change.

Given the dredging plant remains stationary while in operation, it is
expected that there will be little or no impact on commercial or
recreational users of the channel.

The South Port Marine Team will be managing access to the channel for
larger vessels coming into Port, with the dredging plant relocating
outside the channel boundary to allow ships to navigate safely.

This short dredging project is not part of the capital dredging proposal
currently going through the resource consent process. The capital
dredging proposal, which is likely to include rock breaking and blasting,
is scheduled to commence within the next 24 months (subject to
resource consent being obtained and contractor availability).


Caption: GPK De Donge ‘B’ Type Backhoe Dredger, to be operated by Heron
Construction Company Ltd, throughout the dredging.



ENDS.


For further information please contact:
Mr Nigel Gear
Chief Executive
South Port New Zealand Ltd
Tel: (03) 212 8159
Email: ngear@southport.co.nz


Media:
Charlotte Scoles
Communications Advisor
South Port New Zealand Ltd
Tel: 021 775 298
Email: cscoles@southport.co.nz