Improving the port’s ability to accommodate larger visiting vessels safely and efficiently into the future.
Safeguarding future expansion
Lyttelton Port’s existing second tug had reached the end of its service life, and with a newly deepened marine channel, a more powerful tug was required to safely handle larger vessels into the future. We worked closely with the port over a four-year period to develop the justification for change, and specify the requirements for a new vessel. We then managed the end-to-end procurement and delivery process, culminating in the arrival of LPC’s new harbour tug Piaka in mid-2019.
An international team effort
Our involvement in the project started with developing a robust set of documentation that clearly defined the current situation, challenges and limitations, and a recommended project direction. We worked with users to define a basic set of requirements, and then with international marine experts to confirm the best course of action for procurement of a new vessel. We managed a competitive international procurement process involving multiple shipyards from around the world, and then provided coordination and oversight during design and construction, including engaging independent third party inspection in the shipyard. We also with the delivery process, local documentation, and registration and certification with Maritime New Zealand for commercial operation in New Zealand.
Points of interest
- Piaka was designed and constructed in accordance with Lloyds Register rules, an international set of maritime standards that specify quality and safety requirements.
- The tug has a 75T bollard pull capacity, with two main engines generating over 4000kW of power and driving two 2.7m diameter propellers that can point in any direction.
- The vessel was built in Singapore, with major equipment packages sourced from the USA, Europe, and Singapore, and integrated by the shipyard.
- Piaka was delivered from Singapore to Lyttelton under its own power on a voyage around the top of Australia that took almost a month.
