New Zealand's Port Marlborough Launches NZ$19.8 Million Channel Dredging and Wharf Upgrade Project
en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 4, Port Marlborough in New Zealand announced the launch of the Havelock channel restoration and wharf upgrade project, with a total investment of NZ$19.8 million (approximately US$11 million). The project will be carried out by local contractor Isaac Construction and is scheduled for completion by the end of 2027. The project includes restoring navigable conditions in the Havelock channel, dredging the wharf basin, and renewing aging wharf facilities and supporting infrastructure, with a focus on addressing sediment accumulation caused by storms in 2021 and 2022, and safeguarding local aquaculture transport and maritime access for surrounding communities.
The Havelock channel is located in the Marlborough Sounds region of New Zealand and serves as an important maritime route for the local aquaculture industry and coastal communities. Two consecutive years of storms significantly worsened sediment accumulation in the channel, making the original maintenance dredging requirements insufficient to meet navigational needs. Previously, the channel required approximately 1,500 cubic meters of dredging every five years; after the storms, the expected dredging volume for the same period increased to approximately 20,000 cubic meters, an increase of more than 12 times. This project will restore the entire channel, with dredging covering navigable sections both within and beyond the wharf management boundary. Going forward, regular dredging is planned every five years to maintain navigable conditions.
Wharf upgrade is another major component of the project. Port Marlborough plans to demolish the existing aging wooden D, E, and F jetties and replace them with modern floating concrete pontoons, while simultaneously upgrading water supply, power supply, and communication facilities. In addition, the project will build a new 20-meter jetty to improve boarding and disembarking conditions for visiting vessels and residents along the sounds. The above facility upgrades will be implemented in parallel with channel dredging, accommodating commercial vessel traffic, wharf operations, and community use needs.
Isaac Construction has been contracted to build the project, with site preparation scheduled to begin on November 9, 2026, demolition of D and E jetties in December, and dredging of the wharf basin waters starting in January 2027. Sediment from dredging will be dewatered at the wharf area and then transported to a designated disposal site south of Havelock. During construction, the project team will implement environmental management and monitoring measures in accordance with resource consent requirements, and will maintain existing wharf access and operations wherever possible.
The total project investment is NZ$19.8 million, of which the government's Regional Infrastructure Fund, through the Kānoa Regional Economic Development and Investment Unit, is providing a NZ$9.9 million loan, with the remaining funds raised by Port Marlborough. The port stated that Havelock handles approximately 80% of the Marlborough region's aquaculture product landings, and the wharf also provides vital maritime transport connections for approximately 950 permanent residents and 130 businesses in Pelorus Sound and Kenepuru Sound. Channel restoration and wharf upgrades will improve transport conditions for local aquaculture products and enhance the reliability of maritime access for coastal communities.
