Auckland City Council - City Scene

Mudcrete for container wharf?

Ports of Auckland has begun experimental 'mudcreting' and a survey of the seabed in preparation for reclamation work for the extension of the Axis Fergusson Container Terminal.

As part of the experiments dredged mud from Onehunga will be mixed with cement to form mudcrete, which solidifies quickly and forms a strong base on the seabed. This technology has been used successfully at the Viaduct Harbour reclamation.

The extension involves the construction of a new 320 metre berth on the northern side of the terminal and the reclamation of 9.4 hectares on the eastern side for container handling. Work will begin on the actual extensions next year and is expected to cost nearly $100 million to complete.

An economic assessment indicates that the additional trade generated by the terminal expansion will be worth $77 million per year to the regional economy by the year 2010 and will lead to the creation of 540 additional jobs, in addition to the work generated by the expansion project.

A public walkway along the eastern side of the reclaimed area will also be built.

© Scoop Media

Gordon Campbell: On the Sony cyber attack

Given the layers of meta-irony involved, the saga of the Sony cyber attack seemed at the outset more like a snarky European art film than a popcorn entry at the multiplex.

Yet now with (a) President Barack Obama weighing in on the side of artistic freedom and calling for the US to make a ‘proportionate response’quickly followed by (b) North Korea’s entire Internet service going down, and with both these events being followed by (c) Sony deciding to backtrack and release The Interview film that had made it a target for the dastardly North Koreans in the first place, then ay caramba…the whole world will now be watching how this affair pans out. More>>