New jetty payoff expected to be $3m a year

The completion of a jetty to land cruise ship passengers at Arorangi passage will bring an estimated $3m a year into our economy.
Ports Authority CEO Bim Tou advised the Times of this on Thursday morning when providing an update on the project to establish a jetty at Arorangi passage.
Cruise ship captains have identified this spot as ideal for landing passengers in the event that they cannot be landed at Avatiu because of adverse weather conditions.
A survey conducted by Tourism Corp and the Ports Authority of cruise ship visits between 2002 and 2008 revealed that on average 10 cruise ships a year could not land passengers because of adverse weather. It was estimated that some NZ$300,000 was lost per ship meaning the overall loss to the economy was around $3m a year.

Tou advised that the project proposal was completed last month and was submitted to the Infrastructure Committee which is made up of reps from MOIP, NES and MMR. He said the detailed designs have almost been completed by MOIP. The project is expected to cost NZ$1.7m to NZ$1.9m.
Tou also said the marine baseline survey was also almost completed. This survey was to gauge the effect on marine life as some blasting will be involved. The depth of the passage is to be taken from 1 -1 and a half metres to 3 metres to cater for the cruise ship tenders.
Tou said there was unanimous support for the project from the local Aronga Mana and also the Ministry of Education whose interest extended to the safety of children during the construction phase. Use of explosives for blasting will be conducted after school hours said Tou.
An EIA is still to be completed said Tou and he added there will be a small boat ramp included for local fishermen. He said there were other concerns raised regarding the vandalism of boats and vehicles after hours, the safety of school children when ships visit on a school day, the movement of buses around the Aroa Nui Hall and the presence of business vendors.
Tou said work is scheduled to begin early March and will involve local contractors and labour. Some hydrographic work needed to be done of the passage area as no mapping has been done of the sea bed contours. The Ports Authority sought assistance from SOPAC and Land Information NZ. Land Information NZ has recommended three private companies who are able to undertake this work.
Tou said the Ports Authority will arrange for hydrographic surveys to be done at Arorangi passage as well as at Rutaki and Avana for future reference. These were the three spots identified as suitable for landing cruise ship passengers.

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