Enabling growth and expansion by improving the port’s ability to import and export cargo by rail.
A second siding increases capacity
Lyttelton Port Company (LPC) is constructing a second rail siding into the container terminal to meet the growing demand for containers to be transferred on the rail network.
The second siding will significantly increase the capacity of LPC to handle rail trains within the container terminal. Improving LPC’s rail container capacity also helps to reduce truck movements in and out of the port and on the surrounding road network.
Carefully managing disruption
Before any rail work could begin the main truck route into the container terminal had to be moved 10 meters north. This required the construction of a three-lane heavy duty roadway capable of taking fully loaded trucks, with a life expectancy of 15 years. The enabling phase of the project also required new storm-water drainage and duct work to allow future high voltage and IT infrastructure upgrades. With only temporary closures to the roadway permitted, and a minimum requirement to keep two lanes always open, construction was heavily constrained and continuous communication between contractor and the terminal operators was essential.
Throughout the construction period it was critical to minimise disruption to rail freight entering the container terminal. This was not as easy as it seems – meeting the rigorous KiwiRail design requirements with limited space available meant that the existing rail track had to be realigned.
To minimise disruption to the client all KiwiRail work was undertaken at weekends. This required shut down of the local network and a large number of safety precautions associated with working on KiwiRail track.
Points of interest
- Constructed 440m of three-lane heavy duty roadway with 100mm asphalt top layer.
- A new 425m rail siding constructed plus 40m extension to existing track.
- Road and rail elements of the scope were delivered simultaneously by two separate construction contractors under different contracts.
