Friday 23 May 2008

Port puts out ‘welcome mat’ tomorrow

Ports of Auckland is inviting its Auckland neighbours to come over and get to know the Port better when the ‘gates open’ tomorrow (subs: Saturday 24 May) for the popular community event, SeePort Week.

The first day of SeePort Week will kick off on Saturday with two Bus Tours (Saturday and Sunday Bus Tours fully booked) and two Boat Tours of the Auckland seaport, a Red Fence Heritage Walk and a special public Dancing Tug display from the end of Princes Wharf at 12noon.

Spaces are still available on more than 40 other free SeePort Bus, Boat and Heritage Tours throughout the nine-day, weekend-to-weekend event that runs from Saturday 24 May to Sunday 1 June. (See below for booking information).

Ports of Auckland Managing Director Jens Madsen said: “SeePort Week is a huge community event for the port company and it is something that we are very committed to. It gives our neighbours and others in the community the rare opportunity to see, first-hand, the exciting, bustling place that is the Auckland port.

“The first SeePort Week in 2007 was a huge success with many thousands of people taking advantage of the variety of tours available, so I am really pleased that we have been able to extend the timetable and add even more tours to this year’s event,” he says.

The variety of tours offered every day of SeePort Week take in highlights including:

Eight cranes, towering more than 100 metres high and capable of lifting two containers at a time

The country’s largest fleet of eco-friendly straddle carriers - the 3-story-high, yellow machines that are driven sideways moving containers around the Port

Two 5,000 horsepower tugs, or ‘bulldozers on water’, that help guide ships in and out of port

Huge ships, some the length of three rugby fields and capable of carrying over 4,000 containers

The Category A, heritage protected Red Fence and other heritage points of interest including the last remaining rock from Britomart Point, where Auckland was founded in 1840

The new 400-metre, multimillion dollar public waterfront walkway built by Ports of Auckland and gifted to Aucklanders in March this year.

Mr Madsen continues: “Ports of Auckland is an intrinsic part of the Auckland region. The Auckland Port gateway is where the region’s ‘supplies’ arrive from overseas and where many of our locally manufactured exports depart for destinations around the world.

“Myself and all those that work at Ports of Auckland are proud of what we do and that it benefits our community, the region and New Zealand. We are keen to show our neighbours and the local community just why the Auckland Port has been the country’s premier maritime gateway for 168 years."

Ports of Auckland invites the public to book a FREE tour by phoning 0800 AK PORT or visiting www.poal.co.nz for further information. Bookings are essential. Please note, that due to safety regulations and government security requirements, walking tours within the port proper are not available. Photo ID is required for bus tours for those 16 years and older.

ENDS

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