Repairs on the Ferry Terminal seawall are the first of their kind in New Zealand, which has meant some of the equipment has had to be custom made and some brought in from overseas.
Auckland Transport Chief Engineer, Andrew Scoggins says, "The work was originally scheduled to be finished by Christmas but due to the rough, non-uniform surface of the seawall cleaning and leveling the face is taking longer than expected.
"A level face is essential for seamless installation of the stainless steel plates which are critical components in the repair design. The plates will protect the seawall from further scouring from propeller backwash when full ferry services resume in this berth."
Also, two more smaller scours have been found elsewhere on the seawall and while those repairs are not immediately necessary, it makes sense to do the work now while the divers are there with equipment.
Minimal impact to ferry services
The repairs are now expected to be finished late in the first quarter of 2018. Auckland Transport's contractor, STF Limited, is looking to employ a second team of four divers to speed up the process.
The real-time monitoring tools installed since the scour was discovered have confirmed the seawall is stable and that there is no danger to the public.
It is anticipated that the current measures in place to relocate some ferry services will ensure customers will be able enjoy their holiday plans with minimal impact.
Get more information at at.govt.nz.