Refurbishment will increase shipping capacity and reduce CO2 footprint
One of Wellington’s most visible industrial sites is getting a $10 million upgrade which will deliver some significant environmental and efficiency benefits. The major refurbishment will also increase the facility’s storage capacity and improve the resilience of Golden Bay’s North Island supply chain.
The silos of Golden Bay’s harbourside Wellington Terminal have towered over State Highway 1, adjacent to the InterIslander Ferry Terminal since the early 1950s. Every year, more than 100,000 tonnes of cement arrives by ship from Golden Bay’s Northland manufacturing facility and is then stored and distributed throughout the Wellington and Manawatu regions.
The site is now undergoing the biggest refurbishment in its history which will see aging equipment replaced, greater automation introduced and the facility itself upgraded inside and out, most visibly with a new exterior paintjob and rebrand.
Less visible for passing motorists will be an increased storage capacity, a site reconfiguration which will improve traffic management, new office facilities and upgraded ship discharge lines which will dramatically reduce load times.
Increasing capacity and reducing the load times enables more shipping voyages and reduces the number of truck movements on New Zealand’s roads. Golden Bay estimates that the upgrade will result in a decrease of more than 1700 truck movements per annum and a corresponding reduction of CO2 emissions by 90% (around 344 tonnes).
Nick Traber, Fletcher Building’s Chief Executive, Concrete says: “Our Golden Bay Terminal has served Wellington well for many decades and has contributed to some of the region’s biggest infrastructure projects along with countless houses, driveways and other developments. The upgrade is a key part of our strategy to remove bottlenecks in our operations to drive growth and reduce costs, as well as increase the resilience of our supply chain using all modes of transport (ship, rail, road). It’s a demonstration of our commitment to local manufacturing as New Zealand's only and lowest carbon cement producer.
“Demand for cement continues to grow and we need a modern, efficient, and sustainable facility to deliver what our customers need. At the same time, we are continually looking for opportunities to further reduce our carbon footprint.
“The $10 million investment we are making will ensure the facility operates at the highest standards and is fit to support the needs of the region into the future.”